


When Harley Met Bruce

by Jasontodd908



Series: A Saga of Earth 91192 [1]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Arkham Asylum, Batman - Freeform, Chaos, Christmas, Conspiracy, Corruption, Coups, Cults, F/F, F/M, Friendship, GCPD, Gotham City - Freeform, Gotham City Police Department, Honor, In laws, Mentions of Rape, Morality, Murder, Organized Crime, Pining, Political Campaigns, Religious Corruption, Revenge, Role Reversal, Romance, Secret Identity, Secret Society, Secrets Revealed, Terrorism, Unorthodox Family, Vigilante, Wards, homeless, justice league - Freeform, paramilitaries, political disagreement, team ups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:27:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 36
Words: 268,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27001207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jasontodd908/pseuds/Jasontodd908
Summary: Harley Quinn was an obsessive individual who was always destined to fall under the spell of another stronger personality.In our universe, it was the Joker, who twisted and abused her into a pyschopathic criminal, shunting her altruism and desire to help people aside and making her a disciple of his twisted worldview. But what if Harley had met someone else before him? Someone who inadvertently placed a shield around her, protecting her from the Joker's influence? Bruce Wayne, just starting on his crusade, drastically altered the course of Harley's life. Gotham, along with the two of them, would never be the same for it.(This story, and the series it sparked, is dedicated to my best friend and sister in all but blood, Courtney. You inspire me so much, and I'll forever love you for it!)
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth/OC, Batman/Harley Quinn, Dinah Lance/Vic Sage, Harleen Quinzel/Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent/Pamela Isley, Kathy Kane/Renee Montoya(Past), Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne(unrequited), Tatsu Yamashiro/Renee Montoya
Series: A Saga of Earth 91192 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063406
Comments: 292
Kudos: 165





	1. Chapter 1

**_Batcave, Wayne Manor_ **

The Batmobile rolled into the cave, breaking at just the last second and turning, just avoiding the ledge and the inevitable tumble into the dark that would follow it. Alfred lets out a sigh of relief, moving forward with the towel already folded over his arm. The canopy of the vehicle opens and Bruce jumps out, clad in the dark suit that still sent shivers up and down Alfred’s spine.

“Alfred, remind me to install a few railings there. I cut it a little close”.

Bruce walks by the man, removing the cowl from his head and placing it on one of the tables within the cave’s confines. So far, not much had been done. In fact, the only set part of the newly minted “batcave” had been the computer. A state of the art fabrication of one Lucius Fox who, like Alfred, was privy to Bruce’s plans.

“Yes Master Bruce. I shall mark it down on the list” he says, vowing to make it a priority. 

Bruce just sits down in front of the computer, blocking everything else out as he begins to submit all relative information from his patrol that night. Alfred looks down at the floor, unsure of what to make of all this. It had been the fourth night of the other man going out as this new...Batman character. 

He had reservations. Serious ones.

“Master Bruce, if I may have a word?” he asks, stepping forward, placing the towel he exected Bruce to want to use when he went into the house for a shower, onto the table next to the cowl. Bruce doesn’t seem to hear him, and remains focused on the screen. “Master Bruce” he repeats, coughing into his hand. This draws the younger man’s attention, and he swivels in the chair, looking at the man.

“Yeah Al?”

He didn’t like what he saw. Bruce’s face was set in grim determination, and he was treating this conversation as if it was background noise.

He had already changed.

Alfred didn’t know what to do. When he was first made aware of Bruce’s plans to become a vigilante, he treated them with a healthy dose of skepticism. After all those years away, he was just too happy to have the man he considered his son back to question him on much. But it had slowly escalated. The rediscovery of this cave had brought the pace of Bruce’s descent into darkness to a fever pitch. 

Materials had been moved in, weapons, or at least what he saw as weapons built. A car rolled in, piece by piece and assembled away from prying eyes. Then, the costume. He had been horrified when he first saw it. Bruce had told him that that was the whole point. 

Alfred was a bit more nervous at this point, but hoped against hope that the first night he went out would cause him to abandon such lurid notions of avenging his parents death in such a manner. If he didn’t kill himself first.

The thought always sent a chill into the old man’s heart. He nursed a hope that he’d come back, bloody and battered, and give up on fighting this way. Commit himself to Gotham by helping the Police or Arkham. Instead, he came back that first night with fire in his eyes, and joy, undisputable joy, on his face.

_“Alfred, I’ve never felt stronger”_

_  
__“They didn’t see me coming. They were_ **_afraid_ ** _of me. Good. They should get used to that”_

He shakes the remnants of the conversation away and returns to the present, moving to address a still waiting Bruce. “I...this all makes me uneasy”.

Before Bruce has a chance to retort, he continues, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to say all he needed if he was stopped. “You’re down here at all hours of the day and night, working. You’ve been back in Gotham for three weeks, yet you haven’t left the manor, or even this cave, unless it is to go out there and pursue this...this...well, bloody hell I don’t even know what to call it”.

“Justice Alfred” Bruce says, the hardness of steel in his eyes. 

“Is it Master Bruce? Or is revenge a word that better suits you mission?”

Bruce abruptly stands, making to move up into the manor. “If you’re not with me Alfred, then I suggest you…”.

“That is not what I am saying. If you would merely stop for one second and let me speak, maybe you would understand. And that is part of the problem isn’t it?”

Bruce stops mid stride up the steps, letting the man speak and regretting his momentary anger. Alfred notices, and is thankful for it as it allows him to try and reach the man. “Bruce...when you left, I never wanted you to come back to Gotham. I knew there was nothing here for you but pain. It filled my heart with the greatest joy, and the greatest sorrow when you came back here. Still..I had hope that you’d possibly found a way to be happy. That all that time away gave you closure”.

The cave is silent, but Alfred only takes it in for a moment. “I see now, that you haven’t and you are still looking for that closure. As always, I stand ready to assist the Wayne family in any way I can. And sometimes, sometimes that means standing up to you Master Wayne. Bruce...I love you as if you were my son. In many ways, you are. What I am trying to say is, I won’t stop this. I will assist you, if only to keep you from dying”.

Bruce nods, feeling as if this was the final part of Alfred’s speech, and readying himself to give the quiet platitudes that had worked thus far to assuage Alfred. But again, Alfred cuts him off at the pass. “I have conditions Bruce”.

This threw the man for a loop, and he didn’t know exactly what to make of it. “Which are?”

“These little merry jaunts of yours? These, quests for Justice? They have limits. I know you have already voiced your unwillingness to kill. I reiterate my desire for that to remain a priority”.

“Noted and agreed to”.

“You will also put effort into your life. Your real life as Bruce Wayne. It will not turn into a front as I have seen these past few weeks. You will make an effort to not be stuck in this cave and you will make an effort to find something, someone, anything, that makes life above ground tolerable and eventually preferable”.

“Alfred…”.

“No Master Bruce. No. I have let you control this for far too long already. No. These are the terms I have set for this crusade of yours and they will remain”.

“Or what Alfred?” he asks, a little flippancy in his tone that he tries to hide but perhaps he can’t. Alfred was in no mood for humor however. 

“Then I shall leave Master Bruce” he says, the weight of his words settling in the air. “I will not report you, I will not do anything to harm you in any way. But I will not assist in your prolonged suicide”.

“What do you even mean by the second condition Al? Look, we can talk about this later, but there is just too much going on right now. I don’t have time…”.

“Make it then. And my second condition means exactly what it says, and I will be the final judge of it and if you are adhering to the condition as well. Do you accept these terms Master Bruce?”

“Al I…”.

“Do you accept these terms Master Bruce?”

The younger man can tell from the man’s face that he was beyond serious. He’d only ever really dig his heels in on something that was really important, or something he felt strongly on. It was rare, for Alfred to stick up to Bruce. 

“I need an answer so I can plan my retirement if the need arises”.

“Alright, alright, yes. Okay”.

“Good. Very good Master Bruce. Now, I suggest you get some sleep” he says, moving up the stairs and past the man. “You have to be at Arkham tomorrow to show your support for the opening of the new Martha and Thomas Wayne wing. You need to be well rested”.

“Alfred I…”

The older man turns, sensing the man’s reluctance to listen to him. “You just what Master Bruce?”

“I...alright, I guess I’ll be there”.

“Very good. Now, come along. I’m locking the cave as well”.

Bruce follows reluctantly, not being able to fight the feeling that he was a kid again, and that Alfred was still very much in charge. He would’ve fought him or fired him had he been anyone else. But...he couldn’t. Alfred was all he had. He was his father in many respects. He couldn’t let him go. ‘Hopefully, this is a short term thing’ he assuages himself. ‘Alfred will see how important this is. He will’.

**_Next Day, Arkham Asylum_ **

She looks at herself in the mirror, trying to psyche herself up for this new job. Arkham. It wasn’t the most prestigious position in the world, and she was only her on loan for now until Arkham’s board decided they wanted to keep her. 

“You can do this Harleen. You know you can. You’ve been doing nothing but studying the psychotic mind since you were in your teens. Stop second guessing yourself”.

Her reflection was less than helpful in convincing her, the only thing she could see being insecurity in her eyes. Still, she knew she had to be here. “Once I cure the Joker, it’s straight to the big time”.

She sits up, fixes her glasses and straightens her white labcoat, smiling into the mirror. “Alright, Doctor Harleen Quinzel. You’re on. Let’s go wow them” she says, stepping out of the bathroom to find the same bored guard waiting for her. He’d been assigned as her “protection” as they went about the asylum and he seemed anything but enthused about it. 

“Ready to go?”

“Ohh, yes sure! Thank you officer….” she says, trying to lean in to read his nametag.

“Doyle. Doesn’t matter. Doubt you’ll last long here anyway”. He takes one last drag on his cigarette and throws it on the floor, stomping it out with the heel of his boot. “Alright, let’s get going. Wanted to see the psycho bin?”

She glares at the man, but calms herself, deciding instead to focus on what she knew. “The Class A patient’s ward. Yes officer Doyle. Say, are you a family man?” 

He casts a look at her as they begin walking, his baton drawn while he opens the door into the ward. “Yeah, what of it?”

“Ohh no reason. It’s just that you carry yourself like a father. I also noticed your wallet when you went for your lighter. One sleeve is more well used than the others, which shows you take something out of there more often than the rest. It isn’t a credit card, you are a pretty thrifty man considering you roll your own tobacco, and you don’t keep lots of cash on you, as once again, thrifty AND untrusting of those around you. All these things lead me to believe that you’re taking a photo out. You spend a good amount of the day alone, soooooo….you’re looking at whatever it is. Ergo, it’s a picture of your kids, unless…” she smirks and whispers teasingly, “You’re looking at a dirty picture”.

Doyle looks at her askance, shocked at how she could discern all of that so quickly before bursting out laughing, shaking his head. “Alright, alright you’re pretty good. Yeah, it’s a picture of my kids”

Harleen found her way in and smiles as the two stop. “Aww...show me” she says, something the man was all too willing to do. He retrieves his wallet and takes the well worn picture out, handing it over to the younger woman. She takes it gingerly, wanting to show that she cared for his property and further win him over. “That’s my oldest Veronica, she’s going to be thirteen. My middle whiz kid Tommy, he’s twelve, and that’s my baby girl Heather, only six”.

  
“Aww, they’re so adorable. They have your eyes and nose, but everything else must be your wife’s”.

“Yeah. Yeah it is” he says sadly. 

He reaches back for the photo and takes it, kissing it gingerly and replacing it in his wallet. Harleen frowns and realizes that she’d touched a nerve. “She passed didn’t she?”

“Yeah, two years ago. Cancer. I...I guess I’m still not over it”.

She reaches out and places her hand on his shoulder. “And you never will be" she says, starting off with a harsh sentence that draws the man’s attention and momentary ire before he looks into her eyes, seeing her care. “And that only proves that you’re a good man Doyle. She was lucky to have you, and your kids are too”.

“I...I just wish I could spend more time with them but sometimes it hurts to be around them”.

“They remind you of her and that’s good” she says, dropping her hand and inserting the key card into the machine, opening the doors to the class A wing. “Because she’s still alive buddy. In each of those beautiful kids you made with her. I bet they miss her too, and I think they also miss their dad. So, here’s my prescription. Go home tonight, even if it’s late, wake them up, and tell them that you love them. Read them a story. Do you have off tomorrow?”

“Yeah..why?”

Harleen smiles and let’s the man open the door. “Keep them home from school. Take them to the park and just listen and talk to them”. She reaches into her pocket and brings out a pen and a pad of paper. She draws a smiley face and hands it over to Doyle slipping it into his top pocket. “Be a dad Doyle”.

She steps into the ward and lets the man follow, enjoying how his mood seemed to be considerably brightened. “I will Dr. Quinzel”.

“You know, you’re the first person to call me that here at Arkham” she teases, looking with a frown down the dilapidated hall. “Wow, they really are letting this place go”. She watches as a rat sneaks forward along the dilapidated brick and grimaces.

“Yeah, funding was cut back a year ago. But, oddly enough, that Wayne guy came back and now we got some money. Hopefully this wing will be fixed up soon, but...eh, I doubt it. Wayne’s probably just another rich asshole, and the board is definitely corrupt. That money will disappear”. 

“Bruce Wayne?”

“Yeah, probably our most famous citizen aside from Carmine Falcone. Know about him?”

“Duh, I grew up in Gotham. Didn’t know he was back though”. She did indeed know Bruce Wayne. In fact, she remembered when she was a kid hearing about him. ‘Poor guy. Watching his parents killed like that’.

The sound of a body slamming up against bars knocks her off balance, and she jumps back as an inmate lunges against the cell door. “THE COLD!! THE GODDAMN COLD!!!! IT’S GOING TO KILL ME!!!!”

“BACK THE FUCK UP JERRY!” Doyle says, making to lunge forward and prevent the man from reaching out through the bars for the woman. Harleen stops him, and further shocks him by stepping forward, and gently offering the man her hand. He latches onto it, trying to move closer and practically mold into her. “The cold...the cold” he whimpers. “Shhh, shhh, what do you mean sweetie pie? What do you mean by the cold?”

“Doctor Quinzel, please step back, he’s dangerou…”

“Ohh I don’t think so. Hush Doyle. I’ll be okay” she says, flashing the man a reassuring smile over her shoulder. She turns back to Jerry and smiles, the man seeming to stop as he stares into her face. He was dirty and unkempt. He looked positively feral. “The cold...it’s so cold at night. The demons come with the cold. They...they whisper things to me” he says in a whisper as if he was revealing a conspiracy to her. 

“Let me help with that Jer-bear” she says, rubbing his hand. “You’re cold right? Okay, would you like another blanket?”

The man nods emphatically, his head bobbing up and down as if it was about to fall off. “Okay, I see a storage closet. They probably have some blankets in there. Can I go get you one?”

Jerry looks down through the bars at her hands, one of which was encased by his while her other was on top of it gently rubbing the skin to calm him. “I...I...I’m afraid you won’t come back”.  
  
“I will Jerry. I will. I just need to get you a blanket”.

“Promise?” he asks, reminding her of a scared child.

“I promise. Pinky swear” she says, looping her pinky around his and chuckling. “Can...can I hold your hand when you get back? Just...just for a little? I...I haven’t...felt someone for...s..so….sooo long” he stutters nervously. “Of course sweetie. But I need to get you a blanket first. I don’t want the demons messing with my buddy”.

“Buddy?” he asks with a nervous smile before she nods. He releases her hands but remains near the bars to watch her, still feeling that she had lied to him. Harleen moves off back down the hall towards the closet and opens it, all under the watchful eye of a still nervous officer Doyle. “Ahh, found it!” she says, walking back out with a big grey blanket. “Oooof. A little itchy” she says, feeling the wool. “But it’ll be warm at least”.

Jerry claps childishly, jumping up and down in his cell as Harley moves back and opens the slot of the door, sliding the blanket in. Jerry takes it enthusiastically and wraps it around his shoulders, jumping from joy. Harleen stays right where she was, remembering the second part of her words to him even if Jerry had forgotten in his excitement. She puts her hand through the bars of the window and opens it. Jerry sees instantly and reaches out slowly, taking her hand in his own. He moves closer and kisses her palm, nuzzling her and enjoying the contact. “See? You can trust me. If you need anything, you call for Doctor Quinzel alright sweetie?” she says.

“Umm...Doc? We...we have to go unfortunately” Doyle interrupts, feeling guilty about swearing at Jerry. “Ahh...okay officer” she says, turning back to Jerry and smiling. “He’s a real by the book guy but he’s a sweetheart like you” she teases, making Jerry laugh though he still holds onto her hand. “I need my hand back Jerry if that’s okay”.

He refuses for a moment, but eventually stops when she says “please?”

“O….okay”.

He reluctantly releases her hand, and she pulls it back through the bars. Jerry remains close to them, not wanting to part his eyes yet. “W...will you come back?”

“Of course sweetie. I’ll be back! I wanna make sure you’re warm and cozy. Also…” she says, leaning in to whisper, not wanting to embarrass him. “I’m going to see about getting you a shower. Would you like that?”

Jerry just nods emphatically and Harleen winks, following Doyle down the hall. “Bye Jer-Bear. See you soon!”.

“You’re an angel! An angel!”

Harleen blushes, although she was more than happy to have at least made Jerry feel better for a little while. “Dr. Quinzel, that was incredibly dangerous” Doyle says. “Nah, he’s a giant teddy bear. Besides, I can tell when they’re dangerous or not. Most of the time, you really just need to listen”.

“Well...alright dammit, yeah Jerry is okay, but alot of our inmates here? They’re not like him and I’m a little worried that you won’t know the dangers and see them all the same way you see Jerry”.

“You’re talking about the Joker right?”

“Yeah...him. Look, I know you’re here to try and cure him. Hot shot doctorate holder out of Gotham University. But...that guy? There’s no cure for him”.

“Why do you think so Doyle? No offense, but you don’t have any degree or experience and here you are telling me someone is…”.

“Look doc, I don’t wanna fight you. All I’m saying is, I know people. I see it in his eyes. He’s been in here a few months and already three nurses and two guards are scarred for life. One was even crippled. We know nothing about him except the fact that he likes hurting people and nobody wants to see you next. He’ll get in your head doc, and he’ll chew you up” he says before sighing. “Maybe...maybe someone like you don’t belong here. Someone nice and kind. Not being a asshole here, but, for your own good? I want you to quit this while you’re still ahead, and still you”.

Before Harleen can respond, the sound of voices coming down the opposite end of the hall catches her attention.  
  
“Well Mr. Wayne, this is all rather...unorthodox. Usually, the hospital board is left to manage these issues. There is no need for you to see…”.

“My parents name and money are going to grace these halls, and if that’s going to continue, I want to see how it’s going. And if you can, can you get me a financial accounting of every dollar that the Wayne family has spent here?” Bruce asks, glaring at the administrator who he knew was stealing funds.

The smaller man blusters and looks angry, but knows that he can’t say anything back. Harleen couldn’t help but smile, remembering how the same man had been as dismissive of her as the rest of the board, even going so far as to call her a “little girl”. 

“Yes, well, I’ll go and get that for you then. Guards, ensure that Mr. Wayne is safe” he says flippantly, his voice giving away the fact that he hoped a riot would break out and kill the man. She could see the nervousness at being found out in his eyes, and instantly, she decided that whatever anyone said about Bruce, she liked him.  
  
Bruce himself was looking into some of the cells, making idle small talk with the ones who would even speak to him. “Ahh, here’s money bags now” Doyle says, hiding the begrudging respect he had for the man by crossing his arms over his chest and looking away. Harleen just smirks at the man and moves forward, her heels clicking on the tile floor. “We should go say hi”.

“Dammit doc...wait!”

“Hello Mr. Wayne” she says, making Doyle’s protest come too late. “I’m Doctor Harleen Quinzel. I’m the acting psychiatrist for this ward. How are you today?”

Bruce turns and smiles at the woman, reaching out his hand for the woman to take. Harleen reaches up and grasps it, enjoying how snugly her smaller digits felt in his large strong ones. Neither could explain it, but each felt like something momentous had happened. In other times and places, perhaps this meeting didn’t happen, and things went differently. This moment changed all that, though neither were aware of it.

“Nice to meet you doctor” he says, flashing her a winning smile, though she is focused on his eyes. They hid something, even under the sadness which was easy enough for her to discern against the backdrop of his happy facade. She knew why of course, she could read him as easily as a book, something she wished she could shut off when it came to people but couldn’t. There was something even deeper though, and she had the urge to find out what it was. 

“Arkham is proud to have you. I read your thesis on Humor and coping with grief. I thought it was fascinating and I hope you get to do some more research on that here”.

That, completely floored her. “You...you read my thesis?”

“Yeah, why? I wasn’t supposed to?” he asks with a smirk of his own. Harleen smiles widely and laughs, not sure why she found it so hilarious that he had read her work. “No, no it’s just...I guess I’m a little shocked that you did. You’re kind of well known as...welll..” she says, trailing off as she doesn’t want to offend the man.

“A playboy with more money than brains. It’s alright you can say it. Apparently everyone is thinking it” he says, the two descending once more into laughter. “Well, I didn’t want to be rude” she explains. “Still, I’m shocked. Even the board here didn’t read it. They kind of read the title and assumed it wasn’t worth it”.

“They made a mistake if you ask me” Bruce replies. “But, that’s all going to change soon. I’m taking a more active interest in Arkham. So expect some shuffling up at administrative level”.

“That could really do some good here Mr. Wayne”.

“Please, just call me Bruce doctor”.

“In that case, just call me Harleen or Harley. Everyone usually does”.

He smiles and moves in closer, slipping a card into her hand. “I want you to keep an eye on things here Harleen. I think they’re stealing money and abusing the patients. I want that to end, especially with my parents name attached” he explains, drawing a quick and decisive nod of agreement in return. “Anything you need Bruce” she says, already excited at the prospect of espionage. She was here for herself of course, but she wanted to help as well as further her career and she instinctively knew she could trust Bruce. 

“And if there is anything you or the ward need, let me know”.

“Blankets”.

“Huh?”

“We need more blankets, preferably not wool. The ones we have here are from the sixties it seems, and they aren’t enough for our patients”. This would be Harley’s test for Bruce. He smiles and nods, saying, “I’ll get right on it”.

He moves away, his face shifting in tone as he makes to say something that had obviously been on his mind. “Harley, I know why you’re here” he says.

She feels the temperature in the room drop, and worries that he saw her as merely an opportunist. She didn’t want him to see her that way. For some reason, she already cared what he thought and really wanted him to respect her. 

“The patient known as the Joker. I’ve also heard of him” he explains, causing her to relax a bit, but is still on the defensive, not wanting to be told to abandon anyone. “I’m not telling you to not try and help but, I want you to be safe. You two” he says, looking at Doyle and another guard. “I want you to watch Dr. Quinzel closely. Especially during interviews with the Joker. Keep her safe” he explains drawing two “yes Mr. Wayne”’s from the men. Bruce just smiles. “Good. Send the protection fees to my office” he returns before looking at Harley again.

“You’re smart, and you know what you’re doing. You have a vote of confidence from me. Don’t let him get in your head though. You’re in charge, not him. If the board gives you any issues, let me know. And if I can make a suggestion?” he asks, drawing a shocked nod from Harley.

“I’d avoid the coping techniques of laughter with him. As ingenious as they are with most other patients, I think his whole motif makes it not worth trying. He’ll get you to laugh and twist it up until he’s in control. Play bad cop, which I know might be hard for you but still, just my advice”.

“Already ordering me around in my own ward Bruce?” she teases, sticking her tongue out at the man, unable to help the natural playfulness that he seems to bring out in here.

“Nope. You’re the boss here. Just my two cents”.

“Pfft, you can afford more than two cents Mr. Moneybags” she teases, shocked at how quickly she was warming to the man and hoping it wasn’t all a front. She blushes at realizing how flippant and unprofessional she was being and makes to apologize, though Bruce cuts her off.

“Well anytime you want more advice, it’s free of charge. Consider it a write off for my taxes at the end of the year. I’ve studied a bit of psychology so I might be a little useful. Who knows? Anyways, I better get going Harley. Again, the blankets will be on their way soon and just let me know if you need anything else. Have a great day Doctor” he says, taking her hand again and moving off, a smile and wave over his shoulder.

Harley just waves back, smiling dopily at the trail he left. 

Doyle just looks at her and shakes his head. “Another poor Gotham girl played” he says aloud, hoping to tease Harley. She doesn’t hear him though, and continues to look after him at his back. “No. He looked at my eyes. Not my mouth. Players, real players that fit the womanizing archetype, they stare at a woman’s lips to give the appearance of looking at her eyes, but not actually looking into her eyes so she doesn’t see the trick being pulled on her. Subconsciously done. It’s a big red flag. Also….he’s nice. Kind eyes”.

“Pfft, I’d be nice too if I had a trillion dollars”.

“4 billion” she corrects, still smiling dopily.  
  
Doyle clears his throat, bringing Harleen back to the land of reality. “Alright, so, we’re going to see Joker now. Apparently the director wants you to meet him soon, probably hoping he scares you off”.

“Not going to happen Doyle. Let me check up on our residential celebrity” she says, schooling her face into one of serious intent. She was going to take Bruce’s advice. Joker had no idea what was coming. 

**_Interview Room #3, Arkham Asylum, Thomas and Martha Wayne Ward_ **

He sat in the chair, right across from her. He wasn’t doing much, nor saying anything. All he did was smile. She found it unnerving. His whole presentation. The green hair, pale white skin and grin. Normally she’d try and find something redeeming in him, but Bruce’s words kept her on guard.

She was being careful.

“Alright Mr. Doe, since…”

“Please toots, call me Joker” he says, speaking and interrupting the blonde before she can begin her interview. She sees it instantly, and decides to continue on flipping to the first page and ignoring him.

“Sorry Mr. Doe, but that would be feeding your delusion and we cannot, and will not do that here”.

“Aww...you’re no fun” he teases, hiding the fact that he was a little put off by the blonde’s no nonsense attitude. He crosses his arms over his chest and looks bored, the grin dropping for a second.

“What is your name? Your real name?”

“Just gave it to you blondie. Or should I call you Doctor Quinzel? Ohh, I hate the formality. How about...hmmm….ohh I know!” he says, snapping his fingers. “Harley. Harley works best. It’s also rather funny. A reference to the Harlequin as well. Heh, your name fits. Quinzel. Harleen. Harley Quinn! There we go. I named you, and that means I have a new pet!”

Harley was frustrated, and she absolutely hated the fact that he called her Harley. “Doctor Quinzel is fine, and yes I’m aware of the joke that can be made of my name”.

“Aww don’t take it like that Harley. I was laughing with you, not at you”.

“Pardon me if I don’t believe you” she explains. “And what makes you think little ole’ me is lying?”

“Because you laugh at everyone” she explains, moving the interview along and checking off a few boxes Joker had unwittingly answered. She wanted to smile to herself, knowing that she was playing him instead of the other way around. ‘Thank you Brucie!’ she thinks, grateful to the man for putting her a step ahead. “Especially when you hurt them” she continues. 

“Well hurt is such a strong word” he pontificates, not wanting to start of on the defensive of having to explain why he hurt people. ‘Brat’ he thinks, glaring for a moment at the woman. When she walked in he had thought he had her pegged. Someone he could manipulate and play off of. But it hadn’t worked that way. He saw himself being able to make her laugh, opening up with some sad but albeit made up stories from his childhood, before explaining why hurting people was funny. Then he could delve deep into her mind, twist her up and break her until she was nothing but a toy for his pleasure. 

So far, his plans had been thwarted. None of the friendly banter usually started with by the doctors hoping to treat him. No chuckles, nothing. She would be a tougher nut to crack than he had thought. He smiles again, letting the grimace drop. ‘Only makes it all the more fun to crack her’ he thinks.

“Ahh, what word would you use to describe mauling half of a woman’s face?” she asks. “Or slicing a guards ears of? Illuminate that for me”.

“Teaching them a lesson” he explains, not enjoying the accusation in her eyes. “Ohh, well that makes perfect sense” she says, a slight smirk on her lips as she leans back and stares at the man. ‘Now we’re getting somewhere’.

“Really?”

“Not at all” she says, having to hide the smirk that was all too willing to break out anyway. ‘Fight his ego, break him down. Laugh AT him like he laughs at everyone else’ she thinks. “I can’t believe you fell for that. No, no. Just makes you look like a homicidal maniac with less a point to prove and more a bone to pick” she says, continuing to chuckle. The guards behind her are wary, but laugh as well, never having seen the other man so angry before. He was fuming, the blush of embarrassment on his face giving it all a way. “Shut up”.

“Ohhhh...hear that boys. The clown wants me to shut up” she teases. “If you didn’t wanna be laughed at, maybe you should’ve chosen a different manner of presenting yourself. A clown? Really? If you ask me? I find it all kind of stupid” she says, chuckling more and more. 

“Don’t play psychoanalysis with me” he warns, gripping the edge of the table. 

“Ohh, well, get used to it because that’s my job though I hardly need a degree to figure you out” she teases, smirking at the man and putting him more and more off of his game. “I mean, the items we confiscated? Joy buzzers, squirting flowers, whoopie cushions. Lame. Where’s your A material? Make a face, drop your pants, something”.

“Shut your mouth”.

“I mean, if you weren’t trying to hurt and kill people in vicious cruel ways, you’d make me laugh. But only because I think you’re kind of pathetic” she begins before laughing even harder at the man who sees red. “I SAID SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU WHORE!” he says, trying to leap over the table and grab the woman by the throat, all of this done before the guards could even react. Even the manacles on his feet and hands didn’t seem to stop him.

But Harley did. She ducked and rushed upwards, avoiding him and allowing him to land stomach down on the table. Before he could turn and continue the assault Harley lunges out with the side of her hand and impacts against his temple, knocking the man out with minimal pain. Doyle and the other guard are shocked, both having been going for their sidearms but not being able to get them out. 

“What the hell doc?” Doyle asks, looking down at the incapacitated man while the other guard moves to pick him up and return him to his cell. Harleen wasn’t sure if she’d made the right move at first, but thinking more on it? She knew she had. He was playing mind games, hoping to play on the natural sympathy that welled up within her for every patient she dealt with. He was a predator, and he didn’t deserve her pity.

“Take him back to his cell. I’d say we had a very productive first day when it comes to setting boundaries and making sure that Mr. Doe here”, she teases refusing to call him the Joker, “behaves himself in the future”.

“That we did doc. Well, you did”.

Harleen smiles to herself, realizing that Bruce had played her a bit to, though it was too her own benefit. He had to have known she would approach the Joker with openness. He would’ve talked and wormed his way into her mind. So, Bruce disarmed her with kindness, offered a piece of advice that he knew she was bound to take, and set her forward on her own path. He didn’t change her objective, but he did give her the tools to fight for it.

‘I’d be mad if I wasn’t so impressed’.

She straightens her labcoat again and exits the room, watching as the Joker is gurneyed out towards his cell, not injured anymore than waking up with a bad headache. “Make sure he gets some rest. I want him nice and alert for another interview in the morning” she says to the guard who merely salutes in response. 

“Doctor Quinzel?” a voice interrupts her from behind. 

She turns to see an orderly pushing a cart in front of him. On it, were several large comforters. “Yes?” she asks, a little confused. “These are from Mr. Wayne. He sent the delivery guy with a note for you” he says, handing the piece of paper over to the blonde. She takes it and reads it. “Harley, hope these help”.

It was simplistic and quick but she was shocked at how quickly Bruce had jumped to assist the ward. She looks towards the orderly and begins to ask something. “There’s more outside. Apparently he had a local store deliver them. They were right outside of Arkam and had forty in stock so he bought all of them” he explains. 

“That’s awfully sweet of him” she says, blushing while folding up the note and putting it in her pocket. She didn’t know why, but she just wanted to keep the little piece of paper. ‘A friendship memento’ she thinks, assuaging herself. 

“I’ll say. We have enough for everyone in ward A now. At least Jerry will be warm from now on huh?” the orderly jokes. Harleen nods and reminds herself to go see the man, having promised to come back. “Yup, as a matter of fact, I think I’ll go check on Jer and the rest. I don’t want them thinking their doc doesn’t care” she says, picking up her on duty clipboard and getting ready to make the rounds, getting a list together for other things the ward might need.

**_BatCave, That Night_ **

“Master Bruce, did you just spend two thousand dollars on new comforters?” Alfred asks, having received the notification of delivery from the company Bruce had bought them from. “I did Alfred. Don’t worry” Bruce responds, slipping on his gloves and readying himself for patrol.

“If you don’t mind, may I ask why?”

“The acting doctor there, Harleen Quinzel, told me that the ward needed them. I want to add her as a possible ally” he explains. “Ahh, so, gaining her trust through altruism I assume?”

“Exactly”.

“Hmm”.

“You don’t approve?”

“I would much rather you be honest in your interactions with people Bruce. I don’t enjoy how you see them as only a means to an end and not people in and of themselves” he explains. “Alfred, Arkham needs to be cleaned up if this city is going to heal. Harleen Quinzel is someone who can help along in that” he explains.

Alfred walks up to the computer and pulls up the file Bruce had assembled on the doctor. A picture of her from a newspaper clipping comes up, praising her as the valedictorian of her class. “Very intelligent, driven. Passionate about her field. Reminds me of you” he says turning to the man who was loading his utility belt. 

Bruce doesn’t respond, though Alfred keeps glossing over her file. “Not a black mark against her, though she doesn’t seem to have had many close friendships or even familial relations. Has a brother, but he lives well outside of the state. Hmm...very interesting case study. A young woman so driven by the mechanics of the mind. I wonder what brought her to that field of study”.

“She had a sister who was afflicted with a rare mental condition that caused her to hallucinate and turn violent” Bruce says.

“It eventually culminated in her suicide. Harleen entered college and her studies right after the suicide, and her thesis paper makes oblique references to having personal experience in dealing with the mentally afflicted”.

Alfred remains quiet, looking at the bright eyes of the woman in the picture and also seeing the same sadness hidden there as he saw in Bruce’s. He sensed a kindred spirit, and he hoped to nurture this acquaintance into a closer friend, or at least more than just an ally to Bruce’s mission. “I think you should continue to nurture this Bruce” he says simply.

“I already agree but why so?”

“Because having a close friend at Arkham will give you unparalleled access to the minds of all of Gotham’s criminals without having to hack into the system and commit yet another crime”.

“That would involve bringing Harlee...Doctor Quinzel” he corrects himself, though Alfred notices the slip and enjoys it. “Into our fold, and making her aware of my secret”.

“Would that be so unconscionable Master Bruce? You have told me and Lucius Fox after all. Mrs. Quinzel would certainly be much more of an asset if she knew the true purpose of this bludgeoning partnership”.

Bruce is quiet, not wanting to shoot down the man’s proposal outright. “Maybe in time Alfred, but right now we still need to know that she can be trusted”.

“Very well Master Bruce” Alfred says, acquiescing for the moment as Bruce suits up, placing the cowl over his head. “I’m heading out Alfred. I’ll be back later”.

“Any particular areas of interest for tonight?” the butler asks, trailing behind the man.

“The docks. Something is happening there. Missing dock workers, and unaccounted for late night shipping. I have a feeling Falcone is involved”.

“Are you sure it’s wise to go right after the largest mafia boss in all of Gotham?”

  
Bruce turns and looks at Alfred, his eyes piercing into the man even with the cowl on. “When dealing with a cancer, you go right for the source, and Falcone? He’s one of the sources”.

“I’m afraid you’re right Bruce. However, he is only one tumor in a series of them within Gotham’s cancer ridden body”.

Bruce doesn’t respond and just opens the canopy of the batmobile, jumping in. “Let’s start some surgery then”.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Gotham Docks_ **

The man let out a whimper of pain as his back was slammed up against the wooden crate behind him, and he flinches as the dark shadow moves closer to him. “I’m only going to ask you once”.

“I don’t know! I swear, I swear! I don’t know! What...whatever it is, I ain’t involved. Please, please, I got money, take it, take it” he says, reaching down for his wallet. It was a bad move, and one that earns him another slam into the wood as the figure pulls him forward and then pushes him right back.

“I don’t believe you”.

The growl was enough to send the man over the edge, and he stares into the mask and the hateful glare of Batman. He’d heard a few stories already, most of them had. Some freak dressed up like a bat out to do good. He’d dismissed it as the chattering of nervous gangsters, but now? He knew the truth, and he was beyond horrified.

“Wh...what do you want to know?”

“The docks. Falcone is moving something through here. Something big. What is it?”

“Ohh come on man, I don’t know nothing about Falcon…”

His words are cut off as the vigilante’s free fist slams into the crate next to his head, smashing the wood and sending splinters flying into the man’s face. He screams in fear, his legs kicking wildly though it does nothing to help him. “ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! Sh..sh...shit. Okay, all I know is that he pays alot of money to the dock workers. He wants them kept quiet. That’s why he pays me too, make sure they stay that way”.

“And the shipping containers?”

“Man, I already told you, I don’t know what’s in the…”

“THEN WHEN DO THEY COME IN?!!!” Batman shouts, drawing his fist back and making to punch the man again. He flinches, holding his hands up in fear. “WEDNESDAY NIGHTS!! WEDNESDAY! I SWEAR THAT’S ALL I KNOW! PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!”

He can’t help himself, and his bladder empties at that moment, creating a dark stain that moves right down his pants leg. Batman looks down and growls, dropping the man in disgust. “What’s your name?”

The man sits on the ground, sobbing quietly and rocking back and forth. He doesn’t respond to the question, stuck in his own fear. Batman kicks out at his knee, causing pain to shoot up his leg and drawing his attention once more to his interrogator. 

“I asked you, what you name was”.

The tone brokered no disagreement and the man knew he’d need to give an answer. “Tomm...Tommy Cicarello” he says. “Well Tommy, from now on, these docks are mine. The whole city is mine. You let your boss know that. You’re going to be my first little messenger, understand?”

The low level thug just nods, fearful of what else the man would do. “Good. Have a nice rest”.

Batman brings his fist down on the side of the man’s face in one hell of a haymaker, knocking the man out instantly. He slumps down against the floor, his back still against the crate. Batman stands over him, not feeling an ounce of sympathy for the man who had assisted in terrorizing the docks. ‘All on the orders of Carmine Falcone’ he thinks, the pieces fitting together very slowly.

The Falcone organization was a tough nut to crack, but slowly and sure, he was getting closer. All it required was ground work, and he was putting in the work. This wasn’t the first thug he’d scared senseless or knocked out, and it wouldn’t be the last. 

The sun was beginning to rise though, and he knew that the work he’d be able to do for the night was over. He could only operate in the dark, where the criminal element still feared him. He turns around a corner and disappears, moving off as the bright and hopeful sun once again shines down on a hopeless Gotham.

He’d be back. Wednesday night. 

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“Very good Jer-Bear. What is it?”

Harleen was leaning over the man’s shoulder, watching as he was drawing something on the piece of paper. “It’s a fish!” he says excitedly, now being in much much happier mood following a shower and a good night’s rest.

“Really? Kind of looks a little like a dragon” she teases, rubbing his shoulder.

Jerry just smiles, childlike as usual. “I’m not too good at drawing” he says somewhat bashfully. “Hey, you’ll get better buddy. You just need to practice some more, and with the free time you guys are getting in the rec room? You’ll be able to practice more”.

Jerry and the other less violent inmates were allowed to come out and sit in the recreational facilities. They were worn down and ragged, probably from years of misuse and neglect, but to the patients who hadn’t been allowed out of their cells for months at a time? It was paradise. And it was all thanks to Doctor Harleen Quinzel. 

The other more stable patients had warmed to her as quickly as Jerry had, and due to her were now receiving the care each of them needed and probably hadn’t been getting for years. 

She grins at them, standing at the foot of the room and watching each of them engaged in whatever activities they wanted. Board games, drawing or even just watching the television. One woman however, was stuck to the side, just looking out the window on the rainy grounds of Arkham.

Harleen frowns and moves over towards her, wanting to engage with the lonely character and possibly help her along. “Hey, everything alright...Pamela right?”

The woman turns her head and glares up at the blonde, her eyes filled with hate. Harleen steps back momentarily before regaining a bit of her courage and standing her ground, returning the glare with a neutral but hopefully warm glance. The woman was still unkempt, despite the new regimen that Harleen had instituted in regards to hygiene. She also had green skin and bright red hair, something that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the others.

“Fuck off”.

The words were harsh, but Harleen doesn’t take any offense to them. She’d been called worse by better, and in the end she couldn’t find it in herself to hold it against the undoubtedly scared woman. “Hey, no problem. We all want our privacy. I just wanted to ask if there was anything I could do to help you. Even if you just wanted to talk”.

“I don’t talk to pigs”.

“Umm...okay...not a cop, but hey, you do you Red” she teases drawing an even angrier glare from the woman whose hands clench. Harley doesn’t move though, and only the guards seem to grasp that there was a dangerous situation unfolding. Doyle and the others move in, but each had individually learned that the new doctor didn’t always need their help. 

She signals them with a hand behind her back, urging them to back off and keep their distance, if only for a little bit. “Don’t like the nickname huh? Well, we can work on it. Pamela? Pam? Pammy? Whatever you prefer”.

“I don’t want to join your fanclub of maniacs Quinzel so let me repeat, fuck off”.

“You like plants right?” Harleen continues on, pulling up a chair beside the woman and sitting down at the same table. Pamela doesn’t even acknowledge her, and instead she continues to look out the window, ignoring the blonde. 

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty obvious. Poison Ivy right? I had a bad case of it as a kid. Had to go to the hospital. Pretty bad” she continues, still trying to prod the woman into conversation. “Leave unless you want another one”. 

“Eh, can’t do that Pamela. You see, you’re my patient, so for better or worse, you’re stuck with me and I’m stuck with you. And I’d rather see you smiling than moping” she says before looking around and leaning in, casting a conspiratorial look to either side. “Between you and me, Jerry has a bit of a crush on you, and I think you should smile a bit more. It would make him worry less” she teases. Pamela turns and looks at Harleen as if she had grown two heads but doesn’t say anything negative about Jerry. Everyone loved Jerry.

“What do you really want?” Pamela asks with a smile.

“I don’t know. What do you want?”

The green skinned woman doesn’t have a ready answer for her question, and indeed she didn’t even understand why it was being asked.    
  


“Because I only want you to get better and be comfortable here while you do it, soooo….why don’t you just make it a little easier for me, and tell me what will get you to open up to little old me?” she asks, leaning on the table and taking off her glasses. She smiles at the woman, and allows her to see her eyes, a subtle tactic meant to gain her trust. 

Pamela looks away and sighs. “Roses. You get me a few roses for my cell...and we’ll talk. But until then? Fuck off and leave me alone”.

It was clear from the tone of her voice that the woman didn’t expect to ever receive the roses she’d asked for, though she had just asked for the sake of getting the annoying blonde out of her hair. She supposed that it worked, though Harley was already thinking up a plan to get her what she wanted. 

“Before I go, what kind?”

“Juliet Roses” she says, a triumphant smirk on her face. 

“Okie dokie. A bundle of Juliet roses coming up. See you soon Pam”.

With that, Harley gets up and moves towards the guards, happy in a twofold manner. Firstly? She had a way to get through to one of her most stubborn patients now. Secondly? She knew exactly who to talk to to find the roses. 

‘How hard can they be to find?’ she asks herself, drawing all the patients attention. “Excuse moi, everyone. I have to step out into my office for a little while. Have a little phone call to make buuut...if any of you need me, please ask officer Doyle and he’ll come and get me. Jerry, pal? Just make sure everyone is comfy and behaving while the doc is out okay sweet pea?”

The man nods happily, though she already knew that everyone else would behave themselves. They’d become much more cooperative since she’d come to Arkham, and each wanted to impress Doctor Quinzel with how well they were working on rehabilitation. Some she knew would never leave, but others? Maybe, and she wouldn’t quit until she knew they were going to be okay.

With one more smile, and a nod towards Doyle who assures her with his own smile that he’d make sure they were all okay, she steps out, using her key card to bypass the electronic gate. The guard there was busy reading a book, though he nods and waves at the woman as he allows her to pass.

Harleen rolls her eyes, hating that over the past week she hadn’t been able to make any inroads with increasing security, but she had been more than busy with getting the health program back up to snuff. She was secretly writing down all she saw and had she seen a lot. Things that would get the administration locked up for a very long time. It was enough to make her fume.

Patients rights abused, funds misappropriated and even a few abusive guards and orderlies. She had quickly worked her magic in getting them removed from the wing, but she was still horrified at how long they’d been able to do their damage. She kept her mouth shut, but only because she knew that she could only continue to help by keeping her job there. She placated herself with the fact that she was going to change Arkham around.

She walks down the hall and turns into her office, opening the door and closing it behind her. It wasn’t the most spacious or luxurious workplace, but it was hers and she had set about making it her own. A few inspiration kitten calenders here and there, a globe, a shelf of books, though a few of them were comedies rather than strictly scientific in nature. She plops down at her chair, rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly. A quick glance at her desk brings her attention to a picture on her desk, and she can’t help but reach out and take it.

It was a snapshot of her when she was younger, her arms wrapped around her older sister Bethany. She had such sad eyes, even then when she was so young. Harley reaches out and caress the picture where her sister’s cheek was before hugging it close to her. “I’m so sorry sis” she says, whispering to nobody but the empty room. “I wish I could’ve helped you. But, I made a promise and I’m sticking to it. I’m going to help whoever I can. Nobody is going to be alone like you felt you were”.

She puts the picture back down and sighs, laying her chin in her hand to continue gazing at the picture. “There’s this poor girl, Pamela. Reminds me of you a bit. I don’t know why. All she wants is a few roses, and I think I know just how to get them to her”.

She puts her fingers on her lips and smiles. “Ole Brucey boy is always helpful, well...he was helpful once, but something tells me he’d be the perfect candidate to call huh?”

She gets no response from her sister, whose forever frozen face looks back at her through the picture. Harley pretends to be scandalized. “Ppffft...no I do not have a crush! Jeez...so what? He’s a little handsome. Big whoop. He’s also nice, helpful and those arms...oolala..”.

She closes her one sided conversation with her sister by taking out her cell phone and dialing up Bruce’s number, listening for the ring tone. “Well, enough chit chat with myself. Better get to calling him” she says.

The phone rings, and on the third one, he picks up.

**_The Batcave_ **

Bruce had been sitting at the batcomputer, going over the latest data from his recent patrols and cross referencing them with what he had learned from the shipping manifests. When his cell phone began to ring, he picked it up without thinking. “Wayne speaking” he said, a little more gruffly than he would’ve usually had he not been engrossed in his work.

“Ohh...did I do something wrong?” comes the teasing tone from the other end of the line.

He can’t help but smile to himself, bringing himself out of work mode for a moment. “Ohh...Harley. Sorry, caught me at a bad time. How can I help you?”

The blonde woman smiled herself, glad that their familiarity still stood. She begins to nervously fiddle with her glasses, nibbling on the ends. “Well, sorry to inconvenience you big businessman”.

“I didn’t mean it...you’re playing with me” he says, going on the defensive until he realized that she was indeed joking.    
  


“Yup. It’s going to be fun to pick you apart Bruce” she teases. “Well, I’ll enjoy watching you try. I don’t think you’ll get too far”. She sits up in the chair and leans against the desk, enjoying their easygoing tit for tat. “We’ll see Bruce, we’ll see”.

A moment of comfortable silence occurs between the two, only broken as it occurs to Bruce that she must’ve called for some reason. “Was there something I could help you with Harley? Or did you just want to talk?”

The woman is shaken out of her stupor by his words and she suddenly remembers the angry woman in the recreational room. “Ohh ohh yeah right! Sorry, got distracted. I have a patient here, by the name of Pamela, though she likes to be called Poison Ivy” she explains.

“Ahh, so another super villain? Gotham seems to attract them”.

“Yeah, unfortunately” she explains not liking how Gotham brought out the worst in people. “But she’s not really all that bad. She kind of just...mopes, or gets angry if anyone goes near her” she explains. “I want to help her. I know she can be reached, but I just need to get my way there”.

“Any clue on how to do it?” he asks, leaning back in his own chair and genuinely wanting to help.

“Yeah. I do, and that’s why I called. I was wondering if you knew of any florists that specialize in roses? I’m looking for a rare kind. If you did, I thought maybe I’d run out and get some for her tomorrow”.

“Hmm”. Bruce leans forward and begins typing on his computer, looking up all the florists in Gotham city and compiling a list, ready to input the parameters that would bring him a match for what Harley was looking for.

“Did she say what kind of roses they were?”

“Yeah, Juliet Roses”.

“Harley, those are the rarest kind of roses there are” he explains, quirking an eyebrow. “Nobody in Gotham city, at least the florists shops, would have them”.

“Ohh no, she sent me on a wild goose chase didn’t she?”

“I believe so. How many did she ask for?”

“A bundle” she says nervously.

Bruce lets out a sigh of shock, having been worried that she would say that. “Well, yeah...she’s created a bit of a pickle for you. I have managed to find one location that would have at least a few” he says. “But you’re not going to like the price point”.

“How much are they?”

“Ninety dollars a rose”.

Harleen sighs to herself, feeling like she’d hit a dead end yet again. “Damn, I can’t afford that. Well, maybe she will like some white roses or something like that? Maybe I can get her an assortment. I’d get her a whole damn garden if it would get her to feel a little better”.

Bruce is quiet but he knows what to do. He instantly sends an email out to the lab which was crossbreeding them and offering a few off shoots for sale. Of course he had to pay a little bit more to secure so many, but...for some reason, he wanted to assist, even in this seemingly inane task.

“Well, don’t worry. I just ordered her twenty along with the necessary equipment for a biome in her cell. Not anything she can use to escape though, so at least that’s covered” he smirks.

Harley is shocked, and a little upset. 

“Bruce, I...I didn’t want you to spend money..please, I really don’t want this to be me constantly asking for your help”.

“Well, why did you call me then?” he asks, though there was no malice or accusation in his words, merely curiosity.

Harley doesn’t have an immediate answer for him, but she decides to just be honest. “Well, I guess because I like talking to you. I don’t know. It’s kind of lonely here sometimes too. I don’t think people respect me much”.

“Why is that?”

“Well, it’s like pulling teeth to get anyone other than a few guards and the patients to call me doctor, and everytime I ask for something for the patients or want to go ahead with some form of treatment, they roadblock me. They told me straight to my face that I was a hack Brucey boy. A blonde ditz with a degree she didn’t earn. Can you believe it?”

“I can” Bruce hums, vowing to do something to hurry along the reshuffling of staff at Arkham. “They’re comfortable with feeding on this city Harleen and they know you won’t play ball. They want you gone because of it, but I want you to stick it out”.

“Why?”

“Because I know that you’re good for the patients, and even all of Gotham. This city...sometimes, I don’t think we deserve the protectors we have, but that doesn’t mean we have a right to stop fighting for what’s right. I have faith in you. You’re a good woman, and right now, you and people like you are what this city needs”.

Harley was blushing like mad, her entire demeanor having been changed by a few simple words from Bruce. “I think this city needs you too Mr. Moneybags” she chuckles. “Alright. Thank you Bruce. I can’t wait until Pamela hears the good news, or rather sees it. I’ll wait to start her therapy sessions until the stuff gets here. Maybe I can help her set it up”.

“Always thinking ahead Harley. I think head doctor Quinzel is a title waiting for you in the future”.

“Thanks Bruce. I...I really don’t know what to say. You know, I feel guilty about it, but before I met you, I was really willing to dislike you. I mean, I guess alot of the city and their opinions rubbed off on me. We didn’t even know you and yet here we were convinced that you’d be awful. I guess that wasn’t true huh?”.

Bruce looks over towards the case that held his suit and wonders about what he was really doing for this city. ‘Making criminals afraid...it has to be done...for now’.

“Thank you Harley, that means a lot to me”.

“Yeah well...you’re welcome”.

The two were both reluctant to get off of the phone with one another despite the fact that it seemed their conversation had run its course. Something occurred to Bruce though, something that he wanted to ask. “Harley, are you busy next Saturday night?”

“Ohh? Not really. Why?” she asks, a shocked smile on her face. 

“I’m having a party at Wayne manor. It’s going to be a complete snooze fest though. All of Gotham’s most famous and rich citizens coming out to gloat over whose car is nicer. It’s doubling as a fundraiser for the GCPD. I was wondering if you wanted to come”.

  
She deflates a little bit, not exactly sure why she was hoping it would be a more one on one interaction between her and Bruce, but still, she is more than enthused by the prospect of spending any amount of time with Bruce.

“Ohh really? A..are you sure Bruce? I mean, I’m not exactly one of Gotham’s rich and famous. Wouldn’t I be a little out of place?” she asks, concerned about the prospect of embarrassing him.

“You’d be out of place sure, but that’s exactly why I want you to be there” he teases. “These things are beyond boring to me. Seriously, there’s nothing I despise more than parties, but...well, they get things done and I can make a lot of connections I need there” he says.

“But, I also want to have a little fun, and I think that’ll only be possible if you’re there”.

Harley smiles wide and pumps her fist, spinning in the chair. “Well, in that case, count me in! Thank you so much Bruce. I...it means alot”.

“I’m glad”.

A knock on the door interrupts her next sentence, as Doyle calls through. “Doc? One of the inmates wants ice cream, and now they all want ice cream. They’re chanting. So far it’s a peaceful protest but I think you better get down here so you can talk demands”.

“Ohh...okay Doyle. Be right there. Sorry Bruce, we have a little bit of a mutiny on our hands here”.

“Everything alright?”

“It will be as soon as I either get them ice cream, or promise them it tomorrow” she says.

“Ahh..well, don’t let Pamela know just yet. Let it come as a surprise. The materials should be there in about a week” he says, checking the shipping confirmation he had just received. 

“Thanks again Bruce. I...I really don’t know what to say”.

“Thank you is good enough Harley”.

“Alright, well...we’ll talk soon Bruce okay? I’m super excited for the party. Bye” she says excitedly, waiting for his response before hanging up. She was giddy with excitement, and she was starting to get an inkling why. She stands up and exits the office, rolling her eyes at herself and her own thoughts. “Alright jeez. It’s just a little crush. Harmless” she says to herself, moving back towards the recreation room and working out plans within her mind on how she was going to get fifteen inmates ice cream, and undoubtedly all different flavors.

**_Falcone Compound_ **

“You’re telling me, that this...bat freak is real?” Carmine Falcone shouts at his consigliere, slamming his fist down on the desk. “Seems like it boss. So far, he’s been really cracking down on our night time operations at the docks, and that goon you hired to keep the workers in line spilled the beans”.

  
The older man’s eyes narrow in disgust. “Did he now?”

A nod to the affirmative is all he needs, and he turns to another man in the room. He stares at the large man in the grey suit, communicating all he needed to with his eyes. The man bows and exits the room quickly, his task having been as easily discerned as the difference between night and day. 

He turns back to his advisor and begins to speak. “Alright, I want someone new at the docks. A position just opened up. Make him tough. I don’t want to hear any sob story about some bat costumed freak scaring him into dropping dime. I thought we had a fucking code to follow” he shouts, moving to stare out of the window at the grounds of his compound.

“Things are going to shit in this city. Sure, still making money, but fuck if I’m not starting to feel like we’re losing a bit of control”.

“Don, if I may, maybe we should shift the deliveries we have from Wednesday to some other day of the week. If this...Batman is going to be a problem, and he knows about when our materials are moving…”.

“No. Out of the question” Carmine says quickly, his hands crossed behind his back. “If it were up to me and me alone? Sure, but it ain’t up to me. Not this time. Someone’s got us by the balls here, and you don’t want to know what they’re making us do because of it” he explains, being much more open than he usually was. It makes his advisor uncomfortable.

Everyone knew who he was talking about. Everyone. The shadows held and propagated their myth and the public’s fear of them. They had their hands in everything and controlled all. Nothing happened in Gotham without their agreement or acquiescence. Some say, they WERE Gotham. Older than it even perhaps.

Still, that wasn’t even on Carmine’s mind at the moment. Now he needed to focus on protecting his organization from a new threat, one that he didn’t even consider to be legitimatie. “Look, this Bat freak, he ain’t nothing. Just a guy in a suit. We don’t got a super alien in our city that can fly faster than a speeding bullet. He’s just one man. If he keeps interfering, he’ll die just like anyone else. Capisce?”

“Of course Don Falcone”.

“Good. We’re at a very delicate point in our history right now. Elections are coming up, and I gotta juggle that shit with these shipments. I don’t need to worry about no vigilante as well. What I want you to do is go down to GCPD and talk to Loeb. He’ll get this all straightened out. Remind him about what went down in March. He owes me one”.

“Of course Don” the thin man says, standing still and waiting for his boss to continue. No more words are forthcoming, and Falcone eventually turns to see that the man was still there. “That means now” he explains irritatedly.

“Ohh, ohh, of course. Of course. Forgive me Don Falcone. I’ll head right over there now”.

“Yeah, you better” he says, watching the man scurry off through the door, hearing it open and close as quickly as they possibly could. He continues to look out into the darkness, scanning the grounds of his estate and hoping that no shadows would dart out tonight.

They had been, at least for the past few nights. Nothing had been said, and none of the shadows approached him, but he knew they were there. He knew what they wanted. He didn’t spend forty years on the streets and not learn anything. He knew when it was time to play ball and he knew when it was time to fight. Now was not the time to fight.

“Dammit, last thing I fucking need is another night stalker” he exclaims, stretching and moving back to his desk, picking up the phone and dialing a number. “Hey, Franco. How are you paisan? Listen, we need to talk. Yeah, but not over the phone. More of a faccia a faccia thing. Yeah, tomorrow morning works. Meet you at the Iceberg. Alright, goodnight”.

He hangs up the phone and looks once again out of the window, unable to suppress the involuntary shiver that creeps up his back.

“Fucking Gotham”.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

The grandfather clock closes behind him and he steps out into the living room of his home. Alfred was already waiting, a smile present on his face. Bruce couldn’t help but groan. “Listening in on me Alfred?”

“Ohh absolutely sir”.

“What did you hear?”

“Only that you are planning on inviting Mrs. Quinzel over for the party on Saturday” he says honestly. “Also, that you’ve made a purchase on behalf of yet another Arkham inmate”.

“I want her to meet a few people who can be helpful in restructuring Arkham” he explains, trying to hide the fact that he genuinely seemed to enjoy Harleen Quinzel’s company and sweep it under the rug. 

“Ahh yes, quite I’m sure. I do hope this means that you are beginning to trust her more”.

Bruce is quiet but he couldn’t say outright that he didn’t. “She’s good for Arkham, and inevitably, she’s good for Gotham. She’s an important person, and it’s wise to keep her close”.

“We do agree sir”.

“Hmm”.

Alfred was entirely please by how things were going. Soon enough, he was sure that Harley would be brought into the fold so to speak. Her analytical mind would undoubtedly assist Bruce in the profiling of criminals. Of course he himself wasn’t bad at it, but he was still very new to many of the skills he had acquired. He wasn’t classically trained either. Harley would provide a boon of experience and knowledge to this crusade. There was also the fact that Bruce seemed to be genuinely happy around the good doctor. 

Alfred doesn’t want to say it aloud, but he did hope that their friendship might blossom into more. It would most assuredly give Bruce a reason to enjoy his life if it did.

**_Arkham, Holding Cell 3_ **

“Impudent little bitch. Who does she think she is?” the man asks himself, huddled in the corner of his bed. “How dare she laugh at me! How..hehe...she..she doesn’t think I’m serious” he says, rocking back and forth.

The patient known as the Joker, had not been doing well since his last encounter with doctor Quinzel. Nobody had ever gotten to him before, and he hadn’t expected the blonde beauty to be any different. 

But he thought he knew the reason why, and already, his mind was working on how best to rectify that. “Ohhhhh Harley. My little Harley. My pet. Something tells me...hehehehehehe, something tells me that things didn’t go as they were supposed to! But that’s okay, I can fix first impressions. Soon, you’ll see what I’m aiming for” he says to himself, imagining all the delicious violence he could met out on Gotham.

Before it was just to make a general point, but now? Now it was about showing her. He NEEDED her to understand see, and maybe, just maybe, be like him. He couldn’t stand this, this...feeling of being utterly alone. It was driving him mad!

‘Well, madder than I usually am’ he thinks before descending into another uproarious laughter. He stares at the wall, his face falling into a neutral expression at the heart he had scraped into it. It read “Harley Quinn and Joker forever”.

His lips curve into yet another sinister smile and he licks his lips. “Sorry toots, but I’ve got you under my skin”.


	3. Chapter 3

**_GCPD_ **

“Gordon, get your ass in here”.

Lieutenant James Gordon sighed to himself as the harsh voice called out with its demand, though he had the good sense to keep it to himself. There were too many cops who would relish the chance to jump on any sign of weakness, and weakness was something he couldn’t afford right now. 

He sits up at his desk, pushing the chair back and standing, moving away from the case he had been working on and hoping that nobody tampered with it while he was gone. There were too many leaks at GCPD, and too many dirty cops. One had to be careful. Most were on someone or another’s payroll, and if you had a case against their benefactor? You could at best expect to be halted at every turn, or at worst be taken down to the pier to never be seen again.

James, or Jim to most of his friends, despised it here, and he was starting to wish that he’d never come to Gotham. ‘Christ, even the kids are in danger’ he thinks, his mind going to James Jr. and Barbara. 

“Yes commissioner?” he asks, standing in the doorway to the man’s office. Gillian Loeb, was an aging man who hadn’t done an honest day of police work in perhaps his entire life. And it showed. His corpulent body rarely left the chair unless it was to go home. Jim had to hold everything back inside of him to resist spitting in the man’s face.

He was corrupt. They all knew it. Rubbing shoulders openly with Carmine Falcone, having dinner with the mayor. No wonder the GCPD was in the shape that it was. Nobody could do anything about it though. He was untouchable.

But at that moment, Gordon wanted to pull out his service revolver and put one right between his eyes. 

“About damn time. What are you slow? Nevermind, I’ve got a case for you” he explains, taking out a file and sliding it across the desk. “Nothing big, so even you probably can’t screw it up boy scout”.

It was clear that Loeb didn’t like him, and he didn’t care about that at all. From the first day on the force, Gordon refused to play ball. He’d written up one of his fellow officers for beating a suspect almost half to death. Internal affairs had “looked into it”, but the officer involved was one of Loeb’s favorites. Some bills changed hands, and the issue was dropped. But from then on, Loeb didn’t like the new lieutenant, and it was clear that he was willing to try almost anything to get him out of Gotham.

So far that had consisted of putting him on ridiculous errands or goose chases, and lambasting him when he naturally didn’t make any headway, either because it was an impossible task from the start or because Loeb put obstacles in his way. 

Gordon reaches down and takes the file, reading the label on it. “Batman?” he asks curiously, wanting to keep the conversation simple and hopefully short.

The other man leans back in his chair, causing it to creak under the weight of his body. “Uhhmm. Apparently, some nut job in a bat suit is beating up dock workers. I want you to take care of it” he explains. ‘Great, another snipe hunt’ he thinks, slowly going through the file and the evidence there was. Something seemed...off. The victims for one. He knew them, or at least knew of them. Each one was allegedly, everything was alleged in Gotham, on the payroll of Carmine Falcone. 

“He isn’t beating up dock workers” Gordon says, casting a critical eye at the commissioner. “He’s beating down mobsters and thugs”.

Loeb glares at him and points a thick meaty finger his way. “Watch it Gordon. I don’t want your bullshit right now. I just want this bat freak dealt with”.

Gordon closes the file, knowing that there was a lot more to this story than the commissioner was letting on, and in order to make ANY headway at all, he’d need to pretend that this wasn’t what it was. ‘Someone is muscling in, or attacking, Falcone at the docks. That’s who Loeb really wants me to investigate for’ he thinks.

‘Pfft, working for Carmine Falcone against my will’.

“Any idea on why the attacks are taking place? Any calling card or….”

“That’s for you to figure out Lieutenant” Loeb says, standing up and waddling over towards his coat rack, grasping his hat and placing it on his head before swinging his coat over his shoulder and slipping his arms into the sleeves. “He didn’t kill them” Gordon says, leaning against the commissioners desk and once again going over the file, finding himself intrigued. He looks at one picture of a bat shaped...well, he didn’t know what it was. It was steel and sharp, and if he had to hazard a guess he’d say it looked alot like a boomerang. 

“Yeah, so?” Loeb says, impatient. 

“If it was a rival mobster, or really any criminal, he wouldn’t have left them alive. So there is something else at play here”.

“Don’t know, don’t really care. All I know if your ass better come up with a solution, a perp or a body or you’re done here Gordon” he retorts, moving towards the door. “I’m off for the night. Have to go to Wayne manor. Bruce Wayne is back in town, bit of a big deal. Gotham’s prodigal son returning. Again, something you wouldn’t know about. Some cop” Loeb says dismissively.

“Bruce Wayne. Orphaned at age eight by a lone gunman outside of the Monarch theater in an alley, Crime Alley. One of Gotham’s most famous unsolved cases” Gordon says, shocking the man who looks at his lieutenant with a mixture of anger and dismissal. 

“Hmm” he grunts.

“You were commissioner then weren’t you?”

The older man stops in his tracks and turns to face the younger, a question in his eyes. Gordon continues, staring the man down intently. “Yeah, what of it”.

The red haired man shrugs, apparently trying to play it off as if nothing he said was of any importance. “Just noting something. Seems odd. You’re a very political commissioner. Involved in all the day to day activities of the city, some may say...too involved” he accuses, moving on quickly. 

“Two of the city’s most prominent civilians, gunned down in the middle of the night. Never solved. In fact, I looked into the resources expended that night and the police report filed. No follow up was ever done on the scene. It’s almost as if...well, maybe I’m saying this too bluntly, but it’s almost as if somebody important didn’t want to investigate the Wayne murders” he says.

Loeb glares, his eyes narrowing into slits at the man as if he was ready to kill him right at this instant. The only thing keeping him back was the fact that there were too many witnesses, and also, Gordon would probably drop him before he could even get to his long neglected service pistol he kept in his top drawer. 

Jim knew he wasn’t above it. He knew that good cops had been swallowed up by this city, and he knew that Gillian Loeb had buried what was left of them under its dirt. 

“What exactly are you driving at Gordon?”

Jim just shrugs and smiles, though it was more of a threatening one, joy at finally having something to use against Loeb, a hanging sword of Damocles if you will. “Nothing sir. I just think I’ll have a look into what we do have on the Wayne murders. See if I can dredge anything up. Just to keep myself busy”.

The commissioner nodded to himself, looking away through the window into the heart of Gotham city. “You’ve got kids don’t you Gordon?”

Gordon’s face fell, the words piercing right into his heart instantly. Loeb smiles, a sadistic one. “That’s right. Little boy and a little girl right? Your pride and joy. Barbara and Jimmy junior. If I’m not mistaken, little Barbara has just started school. Jimmy? Well, he stays home with his mother doesn’t he? In that little apartment on Flank Street, right by the courthouse in the business district. Right?”

James remains silent, his mind reeling with the threat being put before him. He wanted to slap himself, but most of all he wanted to go back in time and prevent himself from even saying anything to Loeb. “Yeah, yeah this all rings a bell to me. Hmm...the thing about Gotham Jim? Once you start digging stuff up, bugs crawl out and these bugs, they’re not ordinary bugs. No, these are Gotham bugs. They bite. They have stingers. They can really do some damage to a man. Do you understand?”

Jim could only nod, swallowing to try and break the tightness in his throat. 

Loeb continues to look at him, not saying anything else at the moment. He finally seems to see something that assuages him that the upstart lieutenant had indeed gotten his point. “Good boy. You see, I think we’re finally making some progress here Jim boy. Maybe we can reset this relationship huh? Now that things are...fully illuminated” he says. 

James wanted to kill him. Reach out and grasp him by the neck, choke the life from him. ‘I can’t believe he threatened them’. He had thought the man not above having cops who didn’t toe the line killed, but it didn’t occur to him that his family would come under threat. ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid’ he thinks, knowing that he had put them in danger.

“Look into this Batman thing. It’s something to keep your time occupied. Now, I have to go and rub elbows. Elections are coming up after all” he says, stepping through the door but stopping once more. “Ohh, and one more thing. Take Montoya and Bullock with you”.

Gordon looks up, curiosity biting as he didn’t know why those two officers would be selected to accompany him at this moment. “I think Montoya can benefit from the lesson you just learned Jimmy, and I want Bullock there to make sure you teach it right. Have a good night Jimbo”.

And just like that, the man was gone, moving away through the precinct as the activity and officers clear before him. He was a wave, a human wave, that washed over everything before him and destroyed anything that tried to resist.

Gordon lets out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and steadies himself against the desk, still shaking. His first instinct was to call Barbara, but he knew that there was no sense in worrying her as well. He felt alone, truly alone. ‘God, what have I done?’.

**_Just Outside of Wayne Manor_ **

“Ohh wow…” Harley says, looking up at the massive structure that sat atop the hill. “Yup, welcome to Wayne manor. She’s a beaut ain’t she doc?”

“You said it Derrick. Ohh wow...I mean, I probably saw it before but...it’s been a while” she explains nervously. She’d been that way since she got in the taxi. Nervous. She was going to a high society party, and all she had to wear was a dress she bought in Walmart for thirty dollars. Still, she hoped that she looked nice in it. She’d done her hair up, putting it in an intricate bun that would allow her to see and still be seen as professional.

The dress itself had a slightly plunging neckline that showed off a bit of her chest without giving off a slutty aura. It was form fitting, exposing her curves for appreciation but not ogling. The hardest part had been the heels she wore. She wasn’t used to walking in them, and she had stumbled a few times on the way down the stairs. 

“I hope I don’t make a complete idiot of myself” she whispered to herself, though the talkative cabbie heard it regardless. “Eh, if you do, just roll with it” he says. She didn’t know why, but that sounded like good advice. She laughs and rolls her eyes, watching as they drive through the main gate. “Thanks Derrick. Ohh wow, the place is packed” she exclaims, feeling a little intimidated by the fact of so many luxury cars being around, while she was being dropped off in a taxi.

‘Harleen...you definitely don’t belong here’ she thinks to herself as Derrick stops the car in front of the manor, parking right behind a red rolls royce. “Alright toots, here’s your stop” he says, turning around and appraising her again. “Go knock ‘em dead” he teases before looking at the meter. “That’ll be eight fifty” he says. 

“Ohh, and here I thought we were friends” she teases, reaching into her handbag and retrieving her wallet. She pulls out a ten and hands it over to the man, looking in for any more bills to add onto her tip. She didn’t have any, and she couldn’t suppress the sigh that escaped her lips. “I’m sorry Derrick, I’m a little short on cash” she says, feeling stupid for not having realized that she didn’t even have enough for a return trip.

“I guess I’ll be walking home too” she says with a shrug.

Derrick takes the ten and looks at her, a little bit of pity in his eyes. “Alright, don’t tell anyone I did this, my boss or my wife, but my shift ends around eleven, and I’m usually bullshitting ‘till twelve before heading home. So just call the taxi company, ask for Derrick and I’ll give you a ride home, free of charge”.

Harley was shocked, and her mouth gaped in surprise. “Hey, didn’t know some of us Gothamites had a heart?” he teases. 

“Derrick..I..thank you so much”.

“Hey, you made me laugh. That’s hard nowadays” the man says, the sadness in his eyes still present under the shadow cast by his flat cap. Harley reaches out and rubs his shoulder, having heard from the man about his sick daughter. “She’ll be okay Derrick. I promise”.

“I wish that were true. Damn insurance companies. Won’t cover it. My little girl has cancer, I’ve paid them my whole life, and they tell me to go rub a rock” he says, tearing up before calming himself down. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I..I need to calm down. She’s still here. Still a fighting chance”.

“More than a fighting chance Derrick. I...I’m going to see what I can do” she says, biting her lip as her mind already goes to Bruce. ‘Dammit, why is this city so hopeless and why is Bruce the only one who seems to want to help?’ she thinks.

“I thank ya doc. I really do. But...eh...go in an enjoy your night alright? Don’t worry about me” he says. Harley rubs his shoulder again before pushing the door open and stepping out. She draws instant glances, all seeming to be mocking her. The women eyed her dress with disdain and the men barely cast a glance at her. She didn’t like any of these people, but she wouldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt. 

She’s distracted by a car honking behind her, and she turns to see a jaguar wedged right up on Derrick’s taxi cab. They keep honking and she waves in apology, closing the door as Derrick shouts out the window. “Ey asshole give the lady a minute eh? Rich jerks” he says to himself before pulling off of the curb and almost slamming into a bentley. “Move your piece of shit!” he shouts out again, finally able to exit into the roundabout to turn back onto the main drive.

Harley could only laugh, loving the characters that Gotham could spew up at every moment despite the omnipresent darkness. 

“Hmm, looks like Cinderella was dropped off by her pumpkin” a woman says passing by, drawing the amusement of the man who had his arm looped through hers. Harley frowns at the dark haired woman who only mocks her with a halfhearted smirk before forgetting about her entirely.

Harley’s mood sunk even lower, which she didn’t think was possible at the time. ‘Why did I even come here?’ she asks, wishing she was back in the asylum. She looks up at the manor which was brightly lit up, all the lights on and the sounds of a party emanating from inside. 

“Alright Harleen. Let’s go. I just hope I can see Bruce with so many people here”.

She begins her trek up the front steps into Wayne manor, being extra careful as the heels she wore put her off balance. This drew her more curious and teasing stares, and made her feel like a circus freak on display.

‘Maybe that’s what we all are to them’ she thinks. ‘Just...animals to be laughed at and viewed for their amusement. Servants. I...I hate them’. The elite were always preying on Gotham, and now, here in the lion’s den? She could see that ever more clearly. The contrast between them and Derrick was palpable. Derrick was about to possibly lose his little girl to a disease, and here they were laughing at her because of her cheap dress and inability to walk on heels. 

The amount of money most of these women spent on their dresses or hair would probably be enough to cure the little girl, or at least give her a chance. But no. It was being spent here, at Wayne Manor so they could enjoy themselves while the city was suffocated in their greed and despair. 

She felt her mood plummet to the bottom as her mind tried to rationalize the fact that she couldn’t include Bruce in with the rest of them. She just...couldn’t. He wasn’t like them, was he? She shook her head vigorously to herself, stepping inside of the manor and being momentarily awed by the quiet splendor of her friend’s home. 

‘Woah...now this is class’ she thinks, seeing none of the gaudy gold trim and bright colors that many of the nouveau rich seemed to prefer. No marble, and no gold trim. Everything seemed to be made out of sturdy oak. Tasteful painting hung at precise intervals, and rugs were rolled over the floors. 

‘No. Bruce isn’t like them’ she thinks, continuing her line of thought. ‘None of these people would care that Jerry was cold, or that Pamela was lonely and wanted a few plants’.

She was overwhelmed by the throngs of people, all standing around and speaking to one another as servers moved through the crowd, refilling their drinks and allowing them to stuff themselves on hors d'oeuvres. 

“Escargot madam?”

The snotty sounding and rat faced server had moved up on her without even making a sound, though she supposed that whatever sound he had made was covered by the ambient noise of the room. She took one look at the plate with it’s green goop filled snail shells and nearly vomited. Her hand goes to her mouth and she shakes her head in the negative, trying to keep from throwing up. The server moves away, a sour expression on his face at her reaction while she slowly calms herself down. She takes a few deep breathes and settles her stomach. “I guess pigs in a blanket isn’t good enough for this group” she says under her breath, looking around for Bruce.

She saw many faces, a few she even recognized. The mayor, an actor or actress, and a whole bunch of people she knew were famous but she wasn’t exactly sure what for. She was searching though, a desire to find Bruce and at least spend some time with him before he was swallowed up by the events of the night.

Eventually, her eyes settle on him, and she moves like a woman possessed towards him. He was standing in front of the stair case to the second floor, surrounded by a random sampling of people. She felt her ire raised at realizing that most of them were women. 

She was subconsciously sizing them up, comparing and contrasting them with herself as she had never done before. She wasn’t vain, nor narcissistic, but she knew that she was moderately attractive. She had curbs, a rather nice rear end if she did say so herself, a full chest and blonde hair, which in and of itself was a requisite for guys. But these women? They didn’t have stress, and it showed with the near effortless beauty they could put forward. ‘Wonder why they apply so much make up then? They look like clowns’ she thinks triumphantly, only having been able to put on some lipstick and eye shadow as she couldn’t afford much makeup. 

Her eyes look on Bruce, who was busy chatting with a rather clingy burnette, who’s hand couldn’t seem to stop reaching out to rub his shoulder or chest. Harley rolls her eyes in disgust, wondering what Bruce could see in any of those women.

She looked closer though and focused on him, blocking out the surroundings. His smile was fake. She could tell. It was forced and strained at the corners, indicating that it was only for show. Even as the women yammered on, his eyes moved elsewhere, and when his head was turned the smile occasionally fell away.

‘Well, at least he isn’t stupid’ she thinks triumphantly, deciding to make her entrance and save Bruce from the unwanted attention. “Bruce! Bruce!” she calls out, her raised voice inadvertently drawing attention. ‘Dammit, shouldn’t have been so eager’.

She was hoping that she hadn’t embarrassed herself as well as Bruce but in the next moment her thoughts didn’t seem to matter. Bruce smiled widely upon seeing her, and she could tell that this one was sincere. He turns halfheartedly to the women and excuses himself before moving towards her. The two of them both jostled through the crowd, wanting to reach each other. Harley had a perfect view of the now pouting burnette, and she realized that it was the same woman who had called her Cinderella outside. 

She was beginning to feel better.

The two finally meet in the middle of the floor, both not sure of what to do exactly when she reached each other. “Bruce, I’m glad I found you in this mess” she says, not sure of how to greet the man as they stood a few inches apart. Bruce was apparently in the same predicament, his hand coming out before retracting, realizing that shaking hands might not make any sense. “Harleen, I’m glad you made it too. You kind of saved me just now” he teases.

The two continue to smile at one another, laughing nervously as they were unsure of what to do. Harley finally rolls her eyes and goes for it, reaching up to wrap her arms around the man’s broad shoulders. “Come on Bruce, we’re friends, we can hug” she teases. She rests her chin on his shoulder and closes her eyes, thoroughly enjoying the cologne he wore. His hands go to her waist and he crushes her body to his. “Fair point” he says. Slowly the two disengage from one another, but their hands don’t seem willing to leave.

“You look….” Bruce says, not knowing what to say.

Harley blushes and turns away, taking Derrick’s advice and playing along with looking foolish. “Low class. I know. Sorry, it was the best I could pull together on a temporary Arkham salary” she teases.

“I was going to say gorgeous” Bruce corrects her, quirking an eyebrow and continuing to look down at the woman. Harleen blushes even harder, not sure if she would be able to keep from exploding at that moment. 

“Bruce, glad to have caught you..ohh...am I...interrupting something?” 

The man who had just interrupted their moment was looking teasingly at the two of them, a knowing smile plastered on his face. Harley and Bruce both instantly back off from one another, Harley biting her lip as Bruce rubs the back of his head. “Ohh no, no Harv. Uhh...perfect timing” he says, his voice indicating that it was anything but perfect timing. 

The two stand in silence for a few moments until Harvey nudges Bruce in the side, coughing and indicating that he should introduce the two. “Ohh..ohh. Yeah. Umm, Harley, this is Harvey Dent. Harvey is a childhood friend of mine. Harvey, this is Harleen Quinzel. She’s a doctor at Arkham and...a good friend as well”.

Harvey notices the pause in Bruce’s words and catches the hint, even though Bruce hadn’t been intending to give such a hint. The man smiles to himself, realizing that Bruce didn’t even now it yet, but this woman had him wrapped around her finger. Judging by her fish out of water expression, she wasn’t aware either.

‘You two are in for a ride with one another’ he thinks while reaching out his hand towards the woman. “Ahh, so you’re the hot shot new doctor Bruce can’t seem to stop talking about” he teases, making Harley look over at Bruce who is sporting a light red sheen of his own now. “Bruce...talks about me?” she asks, taking the man’s hand. 

“Only every time we talk. I know all the ins and outs of all your theories you outlined in your thesis paper now because of it. Apparently, you’re going to shake up Arkham”.

She lets go of his hand and avoids looking at Bruce for the moment, knowing that neither one of them would be able to take the other’s glance. Instead she focuses on Harvey, and gives him a warm smile. “Well, that’s the plan. Bruce seems to have a lot of faith in me, and, well, things do need to change at Arkham”.

Harvey’s face goes suddenly serious and he nods. “I agree. It’s disgraceful what’s happening there. Just last month one of the orderlies was brought up on charges. She was stealing materials meant to go to the prisoners and selling them back to the asylum. Along with a whole slew of other charges. Would’ve had her dead to rights to, but...well, let’s just say that Quincy Sharp looks after the bad eggs in the asylum”.

Harley feels her stomach twist up into knots at the mere mention of the warden. She knew all about the corruption of mayor Sharpe. In fact, she had a whole dossier with the necessary evidence put together. She had been waiting for Bruce’s go ahead, but...no. She would do this with Bruce. She didn’t know if she could trust Harvey. She’d talk to him though, see if Bruce thought he could be trusted.

“Believe me, the asylum is full of bad eggs but...alot of good ones who are just trying to keep their heads down and do their jobs too”.

The trio becomes quiet again and Bruce ventures to continue the conversation. “Harvey is Gotham city’s DA. A real crime buster this one” he teases, trying to get back at the man for the teasing he’d done at his and Harley’s expense. “Well hehe, nothing too much like that. I guess...I guess I’m just one of the okay eggs just trying to do my job”.

“He’s too humble. Harvey has put away some really bad eggs. He should be proud of his work. That’s why I want him to run for mayor” Bruce continues on, winking at Harley as he wraps his arm around the man’s shoulder and mentally communicating the fact that they had an opportunity to tease the man.

Harley catches on quickly, and smiles while plucking a champagne glass off of a passing tray. “Ohh? Mayor Dent? Hmmm...no. That doesn’t work. You don’t have a slogan. Ohh! Ohh I know! Put a “MAYOR DENT” in crime” she says, poking the man in the stomach.

Harvey laughs and rolls his eyes, apparently not being too sure about such a plan. “I don’t know. I think I do enough good where I am for the city. Besides, being mayor? I don’t know”.

“You’re right to be cautious Mr. Dent” interrupts a new voice. 

The three turn to see an older gentleman with grey hair, flanked on either side by two massive men. “Being mayor? It’s not a nine to five job. And it requires making sacrifices of a...moral variety” the man says, his hawkish eyes boring into Harvey, who seems to shrink under the man’s gaze. “Mayor Hill. How are you tonight?” Bruce asks neutrally, shuffling forward a little bit to shield his friend. Harley notices instantly, and also moves forward, wanting to represent a unified front even before knowing all the facts.

Hill smiles at Bruce, though it was a tight and reserved smile. “Very well Mr. Wayne. Very well. How do you find Gotham after being away so long?”

‘Dirty, miserable and dying. Because of people like you’ he thinks, his mind and inner thoughts assuming the harsh tone of the Batman. Outside though, he remains cordial. “Unchanged” he says simply, making the other man frown and glare. It was a clear insult. Gotham was still as crime ridden as it was when Hamilton Hill assumed the office of mayor nearly two decades ago. Only bribery kept him in place. 

“Is that so?”

“That’s so” Bruce says, standing firm in his position. 

“Hmm...well, I suppose I cannot count on your vote in the upcoming election then?” Hill asks, hiding his anger under a veneer of civil discourse. “That would be a winning bet”.

Hill was fuming, though he kept it to himself. A Wayne, especially Bruce Wayne, was a valuable supporter, and with things as tedious as they were….he needed to pull out all the stops to secure his continued tenure as mayor. 

“It’s good to see some things never change” he adds, a mischievous glint in his eye. “There’s always going to be a Wayne, trying to save this city, but being too naive to make any actual difference. I just hope it doesn’t end for you the way it ended for your parents Bruce. An alley would be a horrible place to find you in yet again”.

The words have a visible impact on Bruce as he turns straight as a board and unyielding as stone. His hands ball up into fists and he practically shakes with an urge to cave in the man’s face. Hill knows exactly what is happening and continues on. “It’s coming up on the anniversary of that night isn’t it?”

“That’s enough” Harvey says, stepping forward, his hand on Bruce’s shoulder as he tries to calm the man and prevent him from doing something that might hurt his image. “Excuse me” Bruce says, disengaging from the group and moving off into the crowd. He brushes off all attempts to pull him into another banal conversation, even one by the brunette who he walks by without even a second glance. “Bruce” Harley calls out before trying to reach for him. He was already gone, a door opening and closing as he enters through it. 

Harvey is in a rage too, glaring hatefully at Mayor Hill who only smiles and begins to walk off, casting a lazy wave at the two as he disappears into the crowd, his two bodyguards in tow. “Harvey” Harley says, steel in her eyes as she downs the last of her champagne. “Yeah?”

“I want you to run for mayor and kick his ass” she says, handing him the glass and nodding at him. “You’d have my vote”. Harvey didn’t know what to say, but he had been thinking of it. Tonight, as small as the situation might have been, seemed to be a turning point. “Well, I think tomorrow I’ll have to announce my candidacy”.

“Good. Now...I’m going to go check on Bruce. I hope we get to talk again soon Harvey” she says, pecking his cheek before moving off. He watches as she goes, the easily discernible worry on her face for the other man an even clearer indicator of the feelings bubbling between the two.

He raises a hand to his cheek where Harleen had kissed him and smiles. “Damn, too bad she’s already taken” he teases himself, placing the empty champagne flute down on a passing tray and taking a full one. “Bruce, if I were you? I wouldn’t let that one go” he says to himself as if he was speaking to his friend directly.

**_Gotham City_ **

The worry on Carmine Falcone’s face was mixed in with his anger. The meeting with Franco Bertenelli hadn’t gone well. 

“Damn idiot” he says to himself, sitting in the back of his car alone for the time being as the driver maneuvered them through the dark streets of Gotham. He had gone to meet with the other mob boss to discuss a deal. He wanted to hand over parts of the theater district, and the illicit operations that were hidden beneath it, for a bigger slice of the docks. 

Franco didn’t budge. He was an old school gangster who still held to decisions made well before his time. He didn’t want anything to do with drugs, prefering to stick to the usual rackets. Prostitution, extortion and the like.

Falcone sighed to himself and shook his head. He didn’t like killing another boss. It left a bad taste in his mouth. But it would have to be done. Progress was all that mattered, and if you weren’t moving forward, you were going to wind up dead.

He’d call in the hit in the morning. This was going to shake up the entire underworld, and it would create a lot of short and long term problems for him. He needed to do it though. The docks? They were the most important slice of Gotham right now, mainly because they were the only things keeping him alive. 

He needed them to be his, or he wouldn’t have anything soon.

The car suddenly turns onto a dark street, making a sharp turn that slams the mob boss into the door of the car. “Ey, Rocco, what the hell are you doing?” he calls through the glass of the partitioned cab and backseat. He doesn’t get a response, and he leans forward to bang on the glass, yelling through it. “Hey, Rocco? You hear me? What the hell is going on?”

The car suddenly stops and he slams forward, the man having been particularly hard on the brakes. Falcone slams his head on the glass, breaking it a bit and cutting his forward. “Alright you piece of shit!” he shouts, trying to staunch the small cut. “You better have a good explanation…”

Suddenly, the door beside him opens, and he’s shoved roughly to the side, creating space for the assailant. Falcone recoils, reaching for his waistband to retract the nine millimeter he always had on him. He doesn’t have a chance though, and a hand reaches forward and grasps his wrist, snapping it and causing him to cry out in pain. 

“Who...who the fuck…”

“Shhhh...shhhh….” the voice says, obviously a woman. The figure leans in and sits down, closing the door. Falcone nearly pisses his pants when he sees who it is. “Y...you?” he asks, staring into the round glass of the eyes.

“Yessss Carmine. Me” the voice responds, letting go of his hand. He reaches out with his good one, feeling his wrist and assessing the damage. “You..you fucking broke my wrist you bitch”.

“And I’ll break more if I’m ordered to” the woman snarls, the anger in her voice heard even through the mask. She reaches out with her hand, showcasing the steel claws attached to her fingers. “We are unhappy with the shipments we’ve been receiving Carmine. Are you forgetting our deal?”

“No, no, I promise I haven’t..things...things have just been hard is all. We’ve got a problem at the docks. Some freak in a…”.

“We are aware of the one called the Batman. We do not care. Solve the problem and continue our deal Carmine” the woman says, moving out of the vehicle and standing beside it. She stops and leans back in, the dark mask she wore giving nothing of her inner thoughts away, though the round eye lenses are enough to communicate what needed to be said.

“They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them, or they’ll send the Talon for your head” she whispers, the warning coming through loud and clear. And with that, she disappears, not a trace of her left in the night. Falcone scrambles out of the car, still holding his shattered wrist. He scans the night, seeing nothing but the dilapidated buildings of Gotham’s east side and an overpass. He is stunned when he hears something impact against the hood, shattering the engine block. He expected to turn and see her there, ready to tear into him.

Instead, now imbedded in the hood, was the body of Rocco, his driver. His eyes were gouged out and his tongue was removed. Taped to his chest was a single feather.

An owl feather.

**_Wayne Manor, Bruce’s Study_ **

He was simply staring up at the portrait, trying to ingrave the image that he already knew so well into his mind. His mother’s smile, his father’s hair. The memories were slowly being lost to him. Becoming more like vague recollections, ghosts within his own mind that reminded him that he had once had happier times while not being able to give him the comfort of certainty.

  
Only one memory remained clear in his mind, and it was the one memory that kept him going. That night. That night in the alley.

He didn’t know what this all meant. The years of training, coming back to this city, a city he wasn’t even sure deserved to be saved anymore. That memory though, it wouldn’t let him go. He wasn’t sure if this was about his parents or Gotham anymore. He was on a crusade, but he was beginning to feel it was destined to failure from the start. His goals were hazy and simple at the same time, or maybe it was the goal that was simple and the means to achieve it hazy? Hazy, or impossible.

“Bruce? Are you okay?” 

He smiles, though it was sadder than usual. ‘Why does she always get me to smile somehow?’.

“I’m fine Harley. Just…” he says, trailing off as the woman comes up behind him, her hands instantly going to his shoulder to provide some comfort. His first instinct was to pull away, but for some reason he couldn’t. 

“It’s okay to not be fine Bruce. I don’t know if anyone ever told you that” she says. “Harley...I...I…”.

She slowly turns him around and looks up at him, knowing that words wouldn’t do in this situation at all. She puts her hand on his cheek before hugging him close, nuzzling her face into his chest. Slowly, his arms come down to wrap about her, resting for once and taking comfort in another human being for the first time in years. He sighed and felt a tear drip down from his eye. “I still...I still feel like that scared little boy in the alley sometimes” he admits, not knowing why he said it. 

Harley doesn’t say anything but just continues to hug him. He just needed to say that. She didn’t need to say anything more and neither did he. They both stood there in each other’s embrace, under the portrait of Bruce’s parents.

The party continued on outside, the others enjoying the fruits of Bruce’s generosity while caring nothing for his anguish. He suddenly didn’t care. For some reason….Harley was enough. “You’re a good friend Harleen”.

“I’ll always try Brucey boy” she says, feeling complete by being in his arms. ‘I’m going to help you Bruce. No matter what’.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Arkham Asylum, Ward A, Cell 3_ **

She didn’t know what to do today, though that hardly mattered. Every day was the same, and they all just bled into one another. Looking back at her life, she could see just one long line of disappointment and sadness. Neglectful parents, loneliness, being called a freak. It was all there. A typical sob story you’d find in a movie. 

“And now? Arkham” she sighs to herself, sitting on her bed indian style, her chin laying in her hands. A knock on the door distracts her though, and she looks up to see the as usual very peppy Harleen Quinzel through the small window. “Hiya Red! I’m checking up on you, annnnd...got a little present for you” she adds before the sound of a key in the lock mechanism can be heard.

The door opens and Harleen steps in, wearing gardening gloves with her usual ensemble of her labcoat and professional dress. “Come on in guys, bring it in for the lady” she says, winking at Poison Ivy, who was just beginning to move off of the bed in interest.

“What’s going..”

Her eyes widen as one of the guards rolls in a cart. The cart in and of itself wasn’t special, but the items on top of it? They meant the world, at least to her. There was a few flower pots, bags of soil, water pots, the whole kitten kaboodle. She looks up at the doctor, the confusion written clearly on her face, though Harleen doesn’t say anything. “Put them right over there, thanks Doyle. Ohh, yeah, bring in the 2nd one. We have to set this up a bit. Don’t worry about the door being open. I’m hear, and I doubt Pamela will want to make a run for it when she sees what Doctor Quinzel’s best friend was able to put together for her”.

The second cart is rolled in, and the contents of this one’s table top was what got the green skinned woman’s heart to racing the most. Her eyes widen and she rushes forward, shocking the guards who assume combat stances, but calm down with a warning gaze from the blonde doctor and the fact that Pamela only moved towards the flowers. She palms one gently, leaning in to smell its fragrance. “Ohh...ohh my, what precious little babies” she coos at the plant, rubbing her thumb over the stem and smiling in utter joy at them.

Harleen already felt accomplished, having gotten her to at least smile for the first time she’d ever seen the woman. “Juliet roses. Just like you wanted. I admit, I was a little stumped when I found out that you put me on a merry little runaround, but lucky for you and me, I have a very good friend who made this happen for you” Harleen says, crossing her arms under her chest.

Pamela doesn’t notice at first, being too focused on the flowers to care about the woman’s words but slowly, she turns and gives a reserved and very slight smile. “Thank you doctor. I...I haven’t felt happy in a long time so this was...well...unexpected to say the least”.

“Don’t worry about it Red. If you really want to thank someone you can send a note to Bruce Wayne. He’s the one that bought all this stuff for you. Your very own little green room, all in the safety of your cell. Bar the gardening tools of course”.

The guards slowly shuffle out, knowing that this was one of doctor Quinzel’s more unorthodox treatments, but it was clear that they’d be right outside if they were needed. 

“Bruce Wayne? Why would he do this for me?”

“Because I asked him, and he’s a sweet guy. Now, we should probably get these babies set up. I think the window sill would be really nice. Plenty of sun and what not. I doubt I need to tell you to keep them watered” she teases. “Whenever the water jugs need to be refilled call officer Doyle. He’ll do that for you”.

“So...you do something nice for me, and you think I’ll just start...liking you like the rest of these chumps and spill my guts to you huh?” Pamela asks with a teasing smirk on her lips.

“Yeah, that was the plan. Anyways, you open that bag of soil and I’ll hold this pot while you dump it in”. Harleen glosses right over the fact that Pamela had her pegged, moving to pick up the blue flower pot and setting it down on the end table in the cell. Poison Ivy can’t help herself, finding it hard to keep up her dislike of the bubbly blonde any longer. She picks up the soil bag and rips open the top, spilling its contents into the flower bowl while Harleen holds it steady for her.

“I’ll also need some stationary and a pen”.

“Ohh to keep track of when you watered them and everything?”

Pamela shakes her head and empties the bag of soil, reaching her hand down to smooth out the top before scooping a bit out and depositing it in another pot to leave room for a flower. She turns to Harley. “You did say that I should write a thank you letter”.

**_Downtown Gotham_ **

“Gordon! Gordon do you hear me?”

The police radio crackled to life and the man reached out apathetically to pick up the receiver. “Gordon here. What’s going on?”

“Reports of a robbery at 34th and main, Batman is on site. Loeb wants you to get there and cuff everyone involved” dispatch calls back. James just looks up at the driver seat, Detective Harvey Bullock grunting as he turns the key in the ignition and starts up the car. “We’re on our way dispatch. Are there any other units en route?”

He hears the sound of shuffling from behind him, and knows that Montoya had moved forward to better hear the radio chatter. “No. Just you for now. Batman is priority for this one. Over and out”. The signal abruptly shuts off, leaving the red haired man in a lurch. “Seems kind of odd” Montoya says, sitting back down as Bullock flips the switch to engage the flashing lights on top of their unmarked car.

“What is officer Montoya?”

“The fact that Batman doesn’t seem like he’s a criminal” she retorts, looking out of one of the rear passenger windows. “I mean, he breaks up the mob at the docks, destroys a truck shipping heroin in the industrial section and just last week he shut down that brothel. Yet, Loeb puts us on his scent? Why? I don’t get it”.

Bullock just chuckles, though it was a cynical one and not an ounce of joy was contained within. “It’s Gotham. Nothing makes sense. Well, it does, but no sense you wanna understand. You should already know Montoya. You’re a native. Not like Jimmy boy here. Eh Jim?”

The man glares at the new upstart lieutenant, who just cows and looks away. The threat that Loeb had made against his family, his daughter and his son, was still hanging over his head immensely. “Officer Montoya” he begins, not sure of what words to use to placate the woman. Eventually he gives up on placating. There was no way to make “things are corrupt and they’ll stay that way forever” any more palatable. 

The woman was still waiting for an answer though, almost with baited breath. It would’ve been so easy to give her what she wanted. Tell her that they were going to try and fix Gotham, the system that was inherently broken. It was also impossible. It was all mixing together, like one bad pot luck dinner. Between the corruption at the highest levels of their political and justice system, and the utter hopelessness of the streets, he couldn’t lie.

“Just do your job, do as you’re told Montoya” Jim says, the defeat already in his voice. He looks back at the woman and frowns, shaking his head. “Anything else is above our pay grade”. The woman looks at him askance, disappointment in her eyes before he turns back around, not being able to take it anymore. ‘God...this is all falling apart so quick’.

Harvey is quiet, but he casts a sideways glance at the younger man before focusing back on the road. They’d almost hit a bum who had been crossing the street with his cart at the time. “Shit!” Bullock shouts, swerving to miss the man who’d just barely been missed. He didn’t even seem to notice, just continuing on his way, back hunched, eyes downward and focus inward.

“Goddamn fucking bums. Someone should do something about them”.

“Like what? Put them in Arkham?” Montoya asks. “And stick four to a room instead of two? We don’t have the resources to help everyone, and I guess, well...I guess he’s on his own”.

  
‘Just like all of us in Gotham’.

**_Gotham Central Bank_ **

“COME OUT BAT FREAK! MAKE THIS QUICK!”

Bruce was hiding behind one of the counters, trying to staunch the blood coming from his arm. ‘Dammit, dammit, dammit’. He’d gotten cocky, underestimated how quick the gunman could be. Now he was paying for it.

He looks over at the wounded appendage, noting that the wound wasn’t too bad. In fact, the polymer armor had prevented it from being anymore than a flesh wound. Still, had he been any slower, or the caliber of the gun any larger, he’d be in serious trouble. 

“Fan out and find him” the leader of the gang calls out, the balaclava wearing men instantly spreading out and doing a quick sweep, though each and every one of them had their eyes on the counters. “Mr. Falcone is going to be really happy when we bring him your head bats. You’ve been a major pain in the ass”.

Bruce begins to look around, desperate for something, anything that could help him. Luckily, the hostages had been able to leave when the thugs were focused on him. He’d smashed through the skylight above, landing right on an ak47 wielding goon who’d been malicing one of the cashiers. It had been an exhilarating experience, and he knew that it had contributed to his ego boost that had gotten him shot.

‘Be smart now’.

He reaches for his utility belt and pulls out the line launcher. The chandelier had given him an idea. Retracting a few pellet bombs, he gets ready to make his move. “We’re going to find you Batsy. And when we do? We’re going to skin you alive”.

Bruce just smiles under his cowl, tossing the pellets over the desk and hearing them clatter over the floor. “What the hell is this? Another one of your tric…”.

They didn’t have enough time to get away, nor finish his sentence as the compressed metal balls exploded, filling the entire room with the view obscuring smoke. Batman acts quickly, jumping up while focused on the still visible chandelier. The line launcher shoots out on one, and wraps about one of the spindles of the chandelier hanging above them. The second line is quickly dispatched as well, securing itself to a concrete piling. 

Just in time as the smoke had reached a fevered pitch, obscuring even his view. He rolls forward just as another mobster lets loose with his shotgun, peppering the wooden counter behind him with pellets. ‘Better’ Bruce says mentally, congratulating himself before using the forward momentum to carry his body closer to the man. He doesn’t have time to react, and Bruce comes up with his fist, slamming it into his chin.

The man is dazed and confused, but remarkably still on his feet.

Not for long. 

Bruce reaches out and grasps the shotgun by the barrel, bending it with the glove’s enhanced mechanical grip as to make it unusable. He quickly returns it to the thug though, slamming the butt of it into the man’s face and breaking his nose. He goes down with that, obviously for the count.

Above them, the sound of steel groaning against steel could be heard as the chandelier was being pulled out of the ceiling by the weight of the piling. Bruce looks up and then back down, judging the quick trajectory of such a fall. 

The smoke had started to dissipate, and he could see the number of men he was facing more clearly. With the man he’d just taken out of the fight, he still had to face five, though, they were perfectly lined up at this point, having fallen back to a circular position to have a better chance of defending against the man.

He stands stock still as he watches them, the leader coming too and struggling out from under the effects of the smoke much quicker than the others. He sees the man they were trying to kill standing right in front of them, and he raises his weapon with a teary eyed smile. “So, finally...ekkk..got wise huh? We’ll make it quick asshole”.

The smoke was still having an effect. The coughing and the teary eyes would throw his aim off. It already was if the shaking of the gun was anything to go by.    
  
The sound of groaning metal gets worse, and the group looks upwards, trying to judge where it was coming from. Bruce uses the moment to retract his Batclaw and shoots it up into the rafters, spiriting himself out of harms way. The goons look back at where he was in a state of shock, not having expected him to get away once again. But their shock is soon amplified as the chandelier breaks free and swings downwards, on a path that led it right to them.

They only had time to scream as the metal monstrosity made its way towards them, and their screams turned to anguished cries of pain as the five men are thrown back and outwards, guns and bodies scattering separately. The leader was carried with it for a few seconds, being thrown backwards until his attempt at flight was interrupted by a concrete wall. He slams into it and slides down on the floor, a howl of pain escaping his lips.

Bruce tried to feel remorse, knowing that he’d gone a little overboard. But he couldn’t. All he knew was that these men were hardened gangsters who had walked into a bank to threaten the employees. They did it as late as they could too, wanting to use the cover of night to hide their crimes. Well, now he was waiting for them in the night, and they had better start remembering that.

Hearing nothing but groans of pain, he jumps down from the rafters and lands on his feet, looking around to survey the scene before finding the main thug who’d instigated all of this. He was in pain, obviously, and sitting with his injured back pressed up against the wall. Bruce didn’t doubt that he’d have a few shattered vertebrae, but he also thought it unlikely. The toss hadn’t been that long and the slamming against the concrete not nearly hard enough. No. Not hard enough for these criminal scum. 

He was groaning in pain, still conscious though. Just as Batman wanted him. 

Bruce moves up and stands over the man, enjoying the fear in his eyes. That was one of the aspects that was disconcerting for him. The fear. His whole purpose had been to strike fear into hearts of the criminal underworld but he hadn’t expected to enjoy it so much.

“You made the wrong move tonight”.

“Fu..fuck you bat”.

Bruce leans down and pulls up the man’s mask, exposing his face. The thug tries to reach out feebly, perhaps wanting to punch the vigilante, but the pain in his back prevents him from having too long of a reach and he simply falls back in pain. 

Bruce throws the mask to the side, glaring at the man who now looks down in fear. “Falcone. Talk”.

Just then, before the man could answer to inevitably tell him to go to hell, the doors burst open and Montoya, Gordon and Bullock burst in, violating numerous police protocols in the mean time. He wonders why that is, but doesn’t ponder long as he turns to look at the three. 

“Holy shit, the guy’s fucking real” Bullock shouts, his service pistol already drawn.

Montoya just stares in shock at the vigilante, her eyes roving over the room to see the work he’d done so effectively. They were the first officers on scene, but that would change, and probably soon. 

He had to get out.

Gordon raises his pistol, joining Bullock in pointing it at the Batman. “Already, hands up. Come quietly and don’t make this any harder than it has to be”.

Bruce just glares, his eyes narrowing as he stares them down. “What crime did I commit Lieutenant Gordon? Stopping a robbery that you wouldn’t have responded to if I wasn’t here?”

“What do you mea…” Gordon begins before being cut off.

“You know exactly what I mean” Batman accuses. “The average response time for a police unit in Gotham is five minutes. Three minutes and forty five seconds above the national average. There’s a police precinct only seven blocks from here, but you were called from halfway across the city. That tells me two things. One, somebody wanted to protect this robbery from too much police activity, and two, they wanted the three of you here specifically. Especially detective Bullock”.

He casts a critical eye over the fat detective, who still had his pistol drawn. “Bullock is on Loeb’s payroll, just like Loeb is on Falcone’s. Bullock is here to kill me and make sure you and officer Montoya know how things work in this city”.

Gordon was flabbergasted by how quickly the vigilante had come up with his theory, but he didn’t know if he was lying or telling the truth, and the indecisiveness must’ve shown on his face. “Why don’t you tell him Harvey?” Bruce says, glaring even harder.

“Shut the fuck up freak”.

The man is ready to fire his weapon, but he is stopped by quick and decisive action on the part of Renee Montoya, who moves forward and throws his arm upwards. The shot goes off and the bullet imbeds itself into the ceiling. “What the hell are you doing Bullock? Are you insane?”

Bruce reaches down for his utility belt, taking advantage of the infighting within this trio. Still, he noted a few things. Bullock’s corruption, Gordon’s indecisiveness and the fact that Renee Montoya was a good cop and perhaps someone to be trusted...eventually. 

It almost made him feel a little bad that he’d have to hurt her.

‘Please let this work Lucius’ he thinks, pressing the activation on the transmitter on his belt. He was shielded from the screeching sound meant to work on crowd control by the padding of his cowl’s ears, but the three police officers? They didn’t have the same luxury. 

Bullock drops his gun and screams out in pain, falling to the floor at the same time as Gordon and Montoya, each unable to take the deafening screeching. They wouldn’t be under its effect for long, as Bruce quickly shoots up into the rafters again, disengaging the device as he moves through the skylight. He couldn’t resist the slight smile he allows himself at how effective Lucius’ inventions were turning out to be. 

‘Note to self, give Lucius a raise’.

He grapples off of the building and moves down the side, making to speed off as quickly as possible in the batmobile. As the canopy closes around him, he can’t help the bile that fills his throat. ‘GCPD acting as personal hit men for Gillian Loeb and Carmine Falcone’. It was disgusting. This whole city was disgusting. ‘No, no’ he calms himself, trying to think of the good people inhabiting Gotham. He couldn’t become jaded. He couldn’t allow himself to stop seeing the good, because if he did he would lose himself.

Speeding down the empty roads of Gotham city, no law abiding citizen wanting to be out after dark unless they had to, he tried to conjure up mental images of the so called good citizens, the people who made this fight worth fighting. It was hard though, and somehow the fruit vendor who’d smiled at him the other day, or Janice, his secretary couldn’t increase his enthusiasm.

One face did though. 

She was smiling in his mind, like she always was. Those deep blue cerulean eyes and bright blonde hair. She descends into another laugh, and he finds himself smiling. Harley. His friend. She was in Gotham. She made this worth it.

He winces, being pulled out of his day dream as he remembers the injury on his arm and looks back to the road. He dials up Alfred on the car phone that was already installed within the dashboard. The butler picks up instantly. “Yes Master Wayne?”

“Alfred, I’ve been hurt” he explains, the man’s worry raising even on the other end of the line before he could even explain. “Good lord, Bruce…”.

“I’m fine Alfred. Just a flesh wound” he says, thinking back to that Monty Python skit. “I just wanted you to leave out some bandages. I can dress it myself”. Alfred sighs on the other end of the line, letting the younger man know that he would be waiting there to do it himself. “Very well Master Bruce. Ohh, Doctor Quinzel called. Her message was rather ambiguous but I am sure you will understand it of course”.

“What did she say?”

“She said that she had a breakthrough and that roses seem to work. What did she mean?”

“A patient of hers. Pamela Isley. She was a hard case apparently, and I...well, I helped her get a few roses that she might like” Bruce explains cautiously, not knowing if there was anything that Alfred could pick up on in there. “Ahh...very well then. How did the...well, job at the bank go?”

“I stopped the robbery. Just in time for three of GCPD’s finest to show and attempt to kill me”.

“Good lord”.

“Alfred, I want you to run a few searches on Harvey Bullock, James Gordon and Renee Montoya” Bruce says, turning the batmobile off of the main drag and onto an adjoining street, still heading for Wayne manor. “Very well sir, and how should I categorize them?”

“For now, Bullock is hostile, and most likely a criminal. Keep Gordon and Montoya on a neutral data base, but star officer Montoya”. 

“And why is that?”

“She didn’t allow Bullock to shoot me. I think she may be a possible inroad into the GCPD. Gordon was indecisive and seemed more frightened than anything. I’m not sure of what use he’d be in the future but I don’t think he’s acting as one of Loeb’s men. He seems more distressed than anything else” Bruce explains, already ruminating on possible causes for this. He hones in on it instantly, and decides to issue another order to Alfred.

“Run scans for any and all family members of all three. Acquaintances, criminal records. Anything you can dig up”.    
  


“Very well Master Bruce. Were you able to do anymore digging at the docks? It has been a while since you’ve been there” Alfred asks. “No, I wasn’t able to. But it might be good that I’ve been absent from there for the past two weeks” he explains. “Ohh, and why is that?”. Bruce hated to admit it, but Gotham was a never ending source of problems. Partly it had been because there were other fires to put out. A explosion at Ace chemicals, a fire starter named Firefly and even a chain of murders that were being down by a deranged psychopath named Professor Pyg. “Because it might make Falcone think I’ve stopped leaning hard there. The first wednesday I went, no shipments came in. It might’ve lulled him into complacency. Security will still be tight, but now I have a chance to actually hit one off of the docks”.

“Ahh yes, the old ambush tactic. Well master Bruce…. I truly wish you weren’t doing this alone” Alfred says, sitting at the batcomputer. “I’m not doing this alone Al. I have you”.

“That’s not what I mean” the butler says, leaning forward and resting against the desk, the computer already accessing all available files on the three law enforcement officials Bruce had asked him to check out. “I can’t exactly slip into a tights and assist you. Perhaps in my younger days, but I’m afraid the SAS claimed those” he says.

“I can’t trust anyone else right now Al” he explains, knowing that he had no intention of partnering up with anyone even if there was another vigilante in the city. “I know Bruce...I know. I just...I wish there was another way”.

“Me too Al. But someone, anyone needs to do something. Batman will only exist until he’s not needed anymore. I’ll see you soon. Batman out” he says, severing the link and leaving his caretaker in the dark cave alone. 

  
Alfred sighs and leans back in the chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think that day will ever come Bruce”.

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“So, how are the plants growing Ivy?”

“They’re growing nicely Dr. Quinzel” Pamela says, turning her head upwards to give the doctor a small smile. “Ohh please, stop. Just call me Harleen” the blonde says, taking a seat next to her and joining the woman in looking out the window.

“Alright...Harleen”.

“Sooooo….what’s on your mind today?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it” Pamela says, not being anywhere as rude as she used to be, especially now that she had a soft spot for the woman beside her, but still, she didn’t want to open up and sob like the rest. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

Poison Ivy is quiet, not having expected that at all. Then again, she should’ve learned to do that at this point. Expecting the unexpected was usually a good habit in the presence of doctor Quinzel. “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean, well duh, I want to know what you want to talk about. Your plants? The weather? Anything” she reiterates, scooting in closer. The guards were much more lax around the inmates now, or at least they were in this ward. Harley’s happies they had begun to be called, on account of the fact that everyone got along and there were rarely fights. Of all the patients under Harleen’s care, only two weren’t allowed out of their cells. Victor Zsasz and the Joker. It was probably for the best.

“Well…..”.

Harley just looks on expectantly, a smile on her face as she leans her head against her palm, staring at the woman. Pamela just smiles and shrugs. “I guess I don’t really have anything to talk about. Today is kind of...boring” she says, trying to give the woman something, anything. 

“Yeah, it is a little gloomy out there huh? Ohh well, good time to be inside with friends then” she explains, trying to put a positive spin on their incarceration as always. Still, Poison Ivy wouldn’t deny that maybe the word “friends” fit, not only with her and her doctor, but also the other inmates. She had been more conversational and even kinder, if still a bit reclusive. The others gave her her space, which she greatly appreciated.

  
“I’ve never had friends before” she says quietly, almost under her breath.

“Well, now you’ve got them in spades. But if you want to talk about that we can. Maybe we should” Harleen gently prods, wanting the woman to open up to her finally. “Well...I don’t know it’s pretty simple. I’m green. I was always picked on. General sob story”. 

“I don’t think it’s a general sob story” she placates, reaching out to put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I think it’s your story, and that’s why it should be told. It’ll make you feel better”.

Pamela just looks at Harleen, unsure for the first time in her life. Was she really going to trust someone? Something told her she could trust the woman in front of her though. Just...something about her. “Alright, where should I start?”

“Anywhere you want to. It’s your story red”.

Red. She kept calling her that. For some reason, she liked it.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

He was tossing and turning in bed, the nightmare once again plaguing his thoughts. The alley. His mother. The scream. The pearls. Ohh god, the pearls. He’d never forget any of the sounds from that night, but for some reason...the sound of the pearls hitting against the floor would stay with him forever.    
  
He awakes with a start, sitting up abruptly in bed and gasping for breath. He looks around the room and notices that nobody was there and that it was morning if the light peaking through the curtains was anything to go by. “Damn”. He looks down at his bandaged arm and shakes his head, the events of the previous night coming back to him. He throws his legs over the side of the bed, readying himself to start the day. 

“Ahh, Master Bruce. Finally awake I see” Alfred says, bustling into the room. He was holding Bruce’s cell phone in his hand. “Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, well...your morning” he jokes, a wry smile on his face as the fact of the matter was it was already eleven o’clock. Bruce just nods, wearily rubbing his eyes. “Who is it Alfred?”

“Doctor Quinzel” he says. “She was quite insistent on speaking with you”.

Bruce just motions with his hand for him to hand the phone over to him. The butler gladly does it, and Bruce’s fingers close around the device and he brings it to his ear. “Harley?”

“Hi Bruce. I’m so sorry to wake you, but I told Alfred to let you sleep. He didn’t seem to get the memo and told me he’d wake you up instead”. Bruce casts a critical eye at the back of the retreating butler, knowing exactly what he was doing. He sighs and chuckles to himself, turning his attention back to the conversation. “It’s okay Harley. Alfred is...very….well….”.

“He cares about you Bruce” she teases. “That’s why he’s so pushy. And I’m glad he is. I have good news!” she says ecstatically. “What is it? I could use some”.

“Well, Pamela? She’s opening up. Like a flower in spring she’s opening up Bruce. I..well, damn, I can’t tell you what she said, patient/doctor confidentiality, but..wow, Bruce, she’s so nice once you get to know her, and I can really understand why she was so….hehe, thorny at first”.

He couldn’t help it. It was just too random and cliche. He laughs, one of those deep laughs that make you feel excellent after having it. “Ohh god that was awful” Harley says, laughing right back. “It was. It was” he retorts. “Ahh...I needed that. It’s been a slow day. Ohh did you hear about Batman?” she asks suddenly.

“What about him?”. He felt his nerves instantly hit the roof, any mention of his nighttime alter ego having the effect of putting him into defensive mode. “He broke up a robbery at a bank last night. Apparently he was shot. The police put out a warrant for him. Don’t know why” she says, though the tone of her voice indicates she indeed knew why.

“What do you think of him? From a psychological perspective I mean”.

“Well, he’s got a saviour complex, maybe. But it doesn’t fit. A saviour would want to go out into the public. Get the credit, but he’s not doing that. Unless he’s waiting to multiply the fame he receives. But, I think he’s doing good for the city. I wonder what drives him. The motif, it all speaks of anger. Wanting to scare criminals. Other heroes want to make the people hopeful, so they wear bright colors and what not. But this one? He remains hidden and scares everyone, but especially criminals. I think something really bad happened to him and that maybe he’s out for revenge”.

Bruce was silent on the other end of the line, not enjoying how close she was. Too close for comfort. Way to close. He knew that if he got any closer to her, he’d get burned. Maybe everything would fall down around him. The idea of hanging up on her and never speaking to her again was becoming appealing, if only to keep his crusade safe. 

He couldn’t. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he needed her in some way.

“Bruce? Bruce are you still there?”

“Ohh yeah, yeah. Sorry Harley. I’m here”.

  
“Good, thought I’d lost you. Soooo...what do you think of Batman?” she teases.

“I...I don’t know. I think maybe he just wants to do some good for this city. Help where he can” he speaks cautiously, trying to keep his tone neutral to avoid giving anything more away than he needed to.

“Kind of like you”.

The words send a jolt of ice down his spine, and his mouth goes dry. ‘No, no please...not this soon’ he thinks, lamenting the loss of his secret so quickly. Harley laughs though, giving it away that she was only joking. “Nah, just kidding Brucie. You’re a whole lot more handsome than the few pictures we have of tall dark and gruesome”.

Now it was Harley’s turn to feel nervous about her words. ‘Idiot, why’d you say that?’

“Well, thank Harley. I’m glad you don’t think I’m the same as a creature of the night” he teases, meaning those words in more than one way. Harley is quiet, biting her lip as she thinks about the next step she could take. “Hey Bruce...are you busy today?” she asks.

“No, why?”

“Well it’s just...it’s been a while since I saw you. Not since the party. I had a ton of fun by the way” she explains before trying to keep herself composed. “But well, it’s my day off and I was wondering if you wanted to go to the park or see a movie or something. I haven’t been able to stretch my legs in a while and just relax. Between you and me, I love my friends at the asylum but I kind of want to be with someone I’m not psychoanalyzing all the time”.

“That sounds nice Harley. It...well it really does” he says, not sure of the words he should use or what to say. “Good good. Should I meet you at….ohh...twelve at….hmm...ohh...oh no, that place is a crime ridden hellhole now” she thinks, sighing as she remembers the park from her childhood. Cobblepot park. She’d spent countless days there, but now? Overrun with gang activity. “Let me guess. Cobblepot park” he says, having had fond memories of the place as well. 

“Holy crap how did you know?”

“Well you said park, and then crime ridden hellhole and it was the only place I could think of” he retorts, standing up to begin pulling some clothes out of his dresser. “We can go to Vreeland park. It’s nice, quiet and has a little cafe in it. My treat”.

“It always is monopoly man”.

“Oof, let’s stick to Mr. Moneybags on that one” he says, beginning to step into a pair of slacks while holding the cell against his ear. “Alright Mr. Moneybags, let me grab a taxi…”

“I’ll come and pick you up. Let me ask, Jaguar, Ferrari or Bentley” he asks, smirking at the phone. 

“Ohh now you’re just showing off”.

“Does that mean you don’t want to pick?”

“......Ferrari” she says in a low tone over the phone, secretly nursing a love of cars. “Alrighty then doctor’s orders. I’ll be over at your apartment in a bit. Just text me the address if you can”. 

“Alrighty, already on it. See you soon Bruce, ohh and one more thing?” she says.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to say thank you. You’re a good guy Bruce. Haven’t gotten a lot of chances to talk with you recently, but...I had fun at the party. You don’t fit in with all those rich jerks. I know you have to have them around sometimes but...I don’t know. It’s stupid. You’re different than them and just...thanks for being Bruce Wayne”.

He was touched by the words, as disjointed as they were. Their meaning wasn’t lost on him, and it seemed to calm a part of his mind that hadn’t been at all comfortable with his status in Gotham. “Thank you Harley. I’ll...I’ll see you soon”. 

“Bye”.

  
“Bye”.

Bruce didn’t see it, but Harley was sitting at her desk in her apartment, idly drawing something on a piece of paper. As she hangs up the cell phone, she smiles and returns to her little doodle, not able to suppress the sigh at all. On the piece of paper was a large heart drawn, with a few words inside. They read, “Bruce Wayne and Harleen Quinzel Forever”. 

She chuckles to herself and puts the pen down. “Ohh no Harleen. You’ve got it bad” she says to herself, hoping against hope that the man was starting to feel something as well. She was fighting desperately to keep herself in check and not throw herself at the man like that inner voice of hers was telling her to do, but she was being a good girl so far. Taking it slow, keeping her slowly bubbling obsession under wraps.

She hoped she didn’t have to keep up the charade for long though.

**_Back At Arkham_ **

“Ohhh a smile! That’s what I like to see. What’s got you so happy greenie?” Joker asks, standing at the door of his cell and smiling at the woman who passes him in the hallway. The guards want to usher her forward, but most didn’t want to cross Doctor Quinzel’s patients if there were no grounds for it. 

She’d have their heads if a single hair was out of place on one of her patients. Many were beginning to resent the end of their authority, missing the days when a single word out of line from an inmate would get them a beating.

Ivy just looks at the man and rolls her eyes, making to keep walking. “A meeting with doctor Quinzel I assume? Ohh my dear old Harley. So ripe for the taking. That mind of hers. Always working and churning trying to do the best for all of us. Isn’t it nice?” he asks, disarming the woman a bit who hadn’t expected him to speak so positively of the blonde doctor.

“Well...yeah, it is nice. She’s the first doc that seems to actually care about any of us” she says guardedly. 

“Ohh yes. Very much so. Especially about you. Buuuut...hmm...well, maybe I shouldn’t say” he teases, playing coy and making to move back into the cell. “What? What were you going to say?” the now slightly insecure woman asks. Ivy had been in a precarious position the past few days, not knowing how to really feel or act since opening up the Harley. The hardass routine seemed to be outdated, but she’d never be the cuddly type. But...she was still raw, and that’s why if it involved her and doctor Quinzel she wanted to know what the Joker had to say.

“Ohh well, maybe you should know. After all, what are friends for?”

Ivy seems to snap out of it at those words, stepping back and moving in between the guards. “You’re not my friend psycho” she says firmly, steepening her resolve. “Ohh I’m more of a friend to you than Dr. Quinzel my little flower. You see, she’s out there, yucking it up, and you’re in here...playing with your flowers when you could have the entire garden. She’s nice to you the way a zookeeper is nice to a caged tiger. He doesn’t wanna get mauled while in its cage after all, but out there? She doesn’t waste a single thought on you” he teases, breaking through to the woman.

Ivy’s face falls and she has to blink away the tears that start to form. “No, no that isn’t true”.

“Ohh but it is my sweet little dandelion. It is. But me? Ohh I think about all of you allll the time. But you especially Ivy. You’re a special little flower. Like those Juliet roses she had her rich boytoy Wayne buy for you”.

“How did you know about…” she begins, falling into his trap. Joker smiles even wider, knowing he had her. If she was asking constant questions that only he could supply the answer to, he would always have the upper hand. He may not have Harley...yet, but maybe, just maybe this one would be better suited to his goals anyway.

Before he can continue he’s interrupted. “Is that clown talking his shit again?” officer Doyle asks, walking up to the trio and breaking the conversation up. Joker wants to howl in anger and if he could, he knew in that moment he’d slaughter the man. Ivy looks up at Doyle, her eyes still wet. “Woah, woah, what’s wrong there Pamela?” he asks, having reverted to calling all the inmates by their first name. Ivy couldn’t help it, and she broke down a bit. “He..he…”

“Ahh Doe? Doe is spinning the same shit he’s always spinning. Angling and looking to get in your mind. Don’t let him. Ohh Doctor Quinzel wants me to pass along a message” he says, trying to remember what it was before pulling out his phone to retrieve the text. “Ohh yeah, here it is. Hold on. Girly stuff, I have no idea. She wanted me to tell you she solved the space problem for you when it comes to your plants. She sewed this...suspended planter thing together for you” he says, pulling the phone up so she can see the picture. It looked a bit like a small hammock, meant to nestle a single pot inside of it. “Said she made a bunch of ‘em. All different colors and whatever. Whacky girl when it comes to designing stuff. Anyway she said, “Hey Red, I’ll bring these over tomorrow and we’ll put them up in your room. Also talked to the warden, convinced him to let you put some more in the rec room. Talk to you later bestie”. With that Doyle turns off his phone and replaces it back in his pocket.

Ivy was smiling ear to her, her grin practically splitting her face. “Bestie...as in, best friends?”

“Well, I guess I’d assume that’s what it means. I don’t know. I have a teenage girl. Don’t mean I understand them or the lingo your generation inherited” Doyle says with a shrug. Ivy turns and glares at Joker, letting it turn into a triumphant smirk. “What were you saying Doe?” she teases, watching the man almost turn puce in his anger.

“Like I said, Doe’s all talk” Doyle says, wanting to get Pamela back to her cell and dismissing the other two guards as he didn’t like how they were ogling the woman. They move away, begrudgingly, apparently missing the sight of the rather voluptuous woman in her tight prison jumpsuit and the chance to see Joker get even angrier. 

“I know why he’s angry” Ivy says in a sing song voice, leaning against the wall. She’d felt better than she had in a long time. Like a flower, she’d wilted under the dark gates of Arkham, whose walls seemed to suck the very life out of everyone inside of them. She’d been going slowly insane, becoming even more unhinged until Harley came into her life and poured water onto her, reviving her spirits. 

  
It was time to return the favor, even in this small way, by standing up for her.

“Ohh, why’s that?”

“Because he has a crush on Doctor Quinzel. I hear him at night you know? Whispering to himself about how he’s going to make her like him” she admits to Doyle, pretending that the Joker wasn’t even there for a moment. “Shut your mouth”.

“Pfft, like him? Doubt it. Harley doesn’t need mind tricks to manipulate people. Just a smile and a touch and we all wanna bend over to make her happy. Brings out the best in people around here. Really. Breath of fresh air”.

That’s what kills Joker the most. The fact that people weren’t giving into hopelessness. Harley had to be corrupted and then he’d show them, when she was his little plaything. He’d show them all.

“Yeah, to bad this lovesick guy doesn’t have a chance in hell” Ivy jokes. 

‘Ahh another opportunity’ he thinks, smiling wickedly once more. “I can assure you that deep down, you all look like me. I’m not a freak, I’m just…” he begins before being cut off. 

“Ohh it has nothing to do with your looks Doe. Nothing at all. Harley isn’t like that. It’s the simple fact that she’s already head over heels in love with someone else” she teases,cutting him off and preempting his thought process all while leaning close to the bars and letting a wicked smile of her own cross her face. Joker glares balefully, the words and thoughts falling from his mind. He didn’t care about love. Love was a tool. He didn’t “Love” Harley and he never would. He was more or less fascinated with the idea of gaining her love and adoration only as a tool to further his goals. 

This news? Well, that threw a wrench in things. 

Nothing more is said as Doyle begins to lead Ivy away, not wanting to put her in anymore danger as it was clear that teasing Doe any longer would not be wise. “Come on Pam. Let’s get you back to your room. I’ll help you water your plants real quick”. 

Joker was glued to his spot at the cell door, glaring hatefully at the wall and imagining who it could possibly be. Aside from the few meetings he’d had with Harleen, he hadn’t been able to see her on an equal footing, as she always kept him at a professional length. He could only imagine the plans he would work out to get to her from now on. He slowly smiles once more, the wheels of his mind turning. 

“I think a little stroll out and about tonight will do you some good old bean” he says in a mock British accent to himself. “Yes, if I do say, Harley’s office might be a truly incredible place to explore. But only tonight. Tonight, not now. Take it slowly. Don’t be hasty. Yes, Harley...ohh my word you’ve killed a man already! You signed his death certificate and you didn’t even lift a finger. Ohh ohh, I know! Harley did it in the asylum...with...hmm the murder weapon? Ohh..her heart”.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Gotham City_ **

“Whew this thing can really go huh?”

“That’s what I paid for” Bruce says to the woman in the passenger seat, enjoying the look of utter joy as he stops the car and skids a bit. He didn’t know how, but Harley had convinced him to take the ferrari out onto the abandoned speedway and let loose a bit. 

It was illegal and maybe a bit dangerous but, she pouted. He had had no idea what her pouting would do to him when he’d initially said no, but as it turned out he was completely powerless. The way her lip quivered, and her eyes...they were too much for the man. Before he even knew what was happening, here they were, going over eighty miles an hour over cracked and aged asphalt. 

It had been exhilarating, and he couldn’t help but think of the batmobile. Part of his mind idly wondered what she’d think of the black car. He had designed it himself, and Harley seemed to know her way around a car if the “pre-check” she did on the Ferrari was anything to go by. 

‘Guess we’ll never know’.

“Wow Bruce. Wow. Not only is the car impressive, but you driving it is. Where did you learn to drive like that? It’s almost like you knew the road like the back of your hand. The way you handle her, it’s just so...natural”. She leans to the side and places her hands on his shoulder. “Tell me the secret? Please”.

Bruce just laughs, finding the whole thing to just be too cute. “Sorry Harls. Trade secret”. 

She quirks a perfectly manicured eyebrow and smiles, turning her head slightly. “Harls?” she asks. “Sorry, I guess it just slipped out”. She laughs it off and rubs his shoulder before realizing what she was doing and retracting her hands, not wanting to get too touchy feely at that moment. She knew that if she let herself continue, she wouldn’t be able to stop. Even now she was casting looks over at Bruce from the corner of her eyes, admiring how he looked in the slacks and polo shirt he wore. 

‘Ohh mama, he’s too much’. She shakes her head, trying to silence the thoughts bouncing around her skull. “It’s fine. I actually like it. It’s new. Maybe a you and me kind of thing” she says, liking that idea alot.

“Well then, Harls” he teases, accentuating her newfound nickname. “I think maybe we should get to the park while it’s still light out”. He puts the car into gear and peels out, giving Harley one last little automobile induced adrenaline rush that leaves her smiling dopily. He moves back onto the road, grateful that someone else had already broken the gate barring entry to the place before him. ‘If the police are going to take money from Falcone, they can’t get mad when we don’t follow their ordinances”.

“Bruce...how’d this happen?” Harley asks, looking over at him and turning in the seat, her hand going to the wrist of his sweater and pushing the fabric up, exposing some of the bandages. “Ohh that?” he asks, chuckling to hide the nervousness, which only increases how nervous he sounded. ‘Stop that’ he reminds himself, focusing on the road and trying to keep his cool.

“I cut my arm on a railing at Wayne Manor. No big deal” he says.    
  
He couldn’t stop her from continuing to move the sleeve up though, and exposing more and more of the wrapping. She casts a critical eye up at him. “You cut yourself on a railing?” she asks, looking at the slight blood stain on the bandage. It was clear that the cut had been dressed and treated a few times already if the amount of blood was anything to go on. What was odd to her was the spread of it. 

“Yeah” Bruce says, trying to shrug away from her but not being allowed to by the woman. She keeps a tight grip on his arm, studying the wound. It was all emanating from one place, like the wound sustained had been done...by a projectile? It was Harley’s best guess based on her knowledge of biology and the little tid bits of biology and items she’d picked up from a varied education. 

She lets go of his arm, but continues to look at him, not knowing how to broach the subject. “Bruce that looks like a gunshot wound to me” didn’t seem like a good way to do it, and she knew that he could just deny it until the cows came home.

There was also the fact that she didn’t want to fight with him...at all. Especially not today when she’d made a quiet non intrusive effort to doll herself up for his appraisal. Instead, she lets it slide, knowing in her heart that Bruce wouldn’t be doing something illegal. She chalked it up to her imagination. She was looking for something scandalous, and she found it. 

She catches Bruce looking at her, studying her almost, and she finds that look to be instantly alluring. He was like...she couldn’t really put a word to it. A lion looking at a gazelle, or...no, no she knew that didn’t fit. He was sizing her up. It was more like...a lion looking at a lioness. Yeah, she liked that one better.

“What? Something on my face?” she asks, reaching up to rub her cheek and serendipitously pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She didn’t want to psychoanalyze Bruce from a medical perspective, but she wasn’t above playing mind games to flirt. After all, she knew what men responded to. She’d done her hair up in it’s normal bun, while leaving a few strands loose just for the inevitable chance of doing just that to grab his attention. 

“No no just...well, you look really good” he says, once more focusing on the road, not enjoying having been caught. Harley just smiles, reveling in the fact that he enjoyed how she looked. “I’m only wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater Bruce. Not exactly like the women at your party the other night. Especially that brunette one. Who was she anyway? Seemed awful clingy” she says, the possessive tone just creeping in at the edges of her words. 

“Ohh, yeah that was...hmm...I’m actually trying to remember...uhhh…” he says, indeed trying to place the woman who he’d been speaking too at the party. He draws a complete blank however, the only woman he’d been able to remember from that night was Harleen. He chuckles to himself. “You know, I really don’t remember. After seeing you and Harvey, I kind of blocked everything else out” he explains, pulling into the parking lot adjoining the park. It was quiet that day, with only a few mothers and their kids roaming about. 

It was perfect.

“Well, let’s stretch our legs a bit huh?” she asks, happy that the woman from the party seemed to be of no importance to the man.

“Sounds good to me Harls”

**_GCPD Headquarters_ **

“So, you let the Batman escape huh?”

Loeb’s voice was low and cruel, just as it usually was. It was a voice that was malicious in every facet of its being. Jim’s fists clench, wanting to not only punch the corpulent man, but punch through him if possible. Instead he just sits there, quietly. 

A envelope had been left at his desk just the other day. In it, were three photographs. One was of him dropping off his daughter at school, the second was of his wife Barbara playing with their son, taken through the window of his apartment, and the third was one of him picking up Barbara from school. 

There had been a note attached to the photos, one that simply said, “look how often you aren’t with them”.

The threat was implicit and clear. He wanted to leave this city. Look away and never even think on the dirty graffiti filled streets of the bricks that built this inferno up. He couldn’t though. Not yet. He didn’t know for sure that Loeb would even let him go. 

He was a sadist, their police commissioner. Maybe even more so than Falcone. That was the scary part. What if it was the mob boss keeping the commissioner in line with their corruption, and not the other way around?

He was too preoccupied with these thoughts and what to do about them than to care too much about the verbal chewing out they were receiving. He knew it wasn’t because they’d failed to kill Batman..well, because Harvey had failed to kill the Batman. No. It was because of the Internal Affairs report that had been filed. 

He didn’t know who did it. It certainly hadn’t been him, but whoever did surely didn’t think ahead to what might happen when the fact of the report got back to Loeb. Internal Affairs couldn’t be trusted either. ‘Whose watching the Watchmen?’ he thinks to himself, trying to stifle the chuckle building its way up through his stomach at the morbid thought. 

“Find something funny Lieutenant?” 

“No, no sir. I don’t” he returns quickly, schooling his face into such a blank expression that a marble bust would be envious. Loeb seems placated by this, and turns to the other two people in the room. “How about you Bullock? Anything humorous going on in your head?”.

“Nah, just the fact that we could’ve easily taken that guy down had these two not pussied out. The Bat starts firing at us, and what do they do? Duck and cover” the out of shape detective says, grumbling through half of the sentence. 

“That’s bullshit and you know it!”   
  


The shout comes from Renee Montoya, who was still wearing her patrolman’s uniform. She slams her fists down on the commissioner’s desk, returning the glare that Bullock was now leveling at her. “Montoya…” Gordon begins, trying to bring the woman down.

“No, fuck this puto, Gordon. He’s a corrupt, thieving, lying snake” she shouts. “This piece of shit tried to shoot the suspect before he even had a chance to comply. The Bat said that Bullock was being paid to kill him, and in the end, looks like he was right” she says. “In fact, I don’t even know why we were going after him. The Bat saved the day in there from Falcone’s boys. We could’ve swarmed it with cops but conveniently we were the only ones on scene. I think the bat had it pegged. We’re nothing but fucking mob hit men aren’t we?”

“Officer Montoya, you are moving into very dangerous waters” Loeb warns with his finger pointed directly at the woman, his eyes glaring daggers into her. Gordon didn’t know what to do, seeing the woman tie her own noose like that. ‘Dammit Jim, dammit. Do the right thing’.

Montoya was undeterred, and simply kept going. “No, I wanna know. Who…”

“You were the one who filed the Internal Affairs report aren’t you?” Loeb asks with a smile on his face. Montoya stops for only a moment, continuing to seethe at the man. She steps back and turns away, her arms under her chest. “That’s none of your business. Under article 4 of…”.

“Blah blah blah, article 7 subsection c, rules regulations. Hehe. You have no idea what you’re dealing with here girlie. You are not in control. I am. I don’t give a fuck what piece of paper you think protects you. I own Gotham. This is my city…”.

Montoya interrupts the commissioner once again. “You don’t own this city. Falcone does. And he owns you because you’re a whore. The security tapes will show…”.

“Eh, tough break kid” Bullock interjects, crossing his hands behind his head and leaning back. “I went back to the bank this morning. Funniest thing, they said the tape disappeared. Weird right? All we have is the words of those who were involved. Right Jimbo?”

Bullock jabs the red haired man in the side with his elbow, spurring him into action. “What?”

“I said right Jimbo? Bats opened fire on us and I tried to do what I was supposed to do. Ain’t your fault. Two new rookies on the job. That’s why it was smart to have me there along for the ride. Show you two the ropes”.

Loeb sits back down in his chair and crosses his fingers, looking at James Gordon with a smile on his face, sure that he would go along with the official story. “Well yes Jim. Looks like you’re the tie breaker. How about you tell me what happened?”

This was a moment in time that Jim knew he’d look back on forever. A turning point if you will. He looks toward Montoya. He didn’t know her well, but he did know that she was a good cop. A better one than him. Hell, here she was standing up to Loeb when he wanted to piss in his shoes. ‘How in the hell is this girl already ballsier than me?’.

Her face settles it. The pleading in her eyes. He knew what it was like to be alone. He’d been alone with Loeb breathing down his neck for weeks now. Everyone in the GCPD feared him and bowed down to him like he was some sort of god. Until officer Montoya that is. Harvey was still smiling at him, that slimy no teeth smirk.

He wanted to fight. For the first time, in a long time, he wanted to fight. How could he go home and tuck his kids into bed, tell them stories of heroism and encourage them to stand up for what’s right when he wouldn’t do it now? He knew the path laid out for him.

“Officer Bullock discharged his weapon at an unarmed and fleeing suspect who posed no further danger to those around him” he says, enjoying how the smiles fall from the two men’s faces. “In all actuality, as illegal as the Batman’s actions were and continue to be, he justifiably did a public service and possibly saved a few lives by breaking up that robbery. Officer Montoya’s quick thinking and prompt action further saved the day and prevented any further violence. In fact, while we’re on the subject, I’d like to put her in for a commendation” Jim finishes, knowing that he’d just obliterated any chance of him staying neutral in this war. 

He looks at Renee and nods, the smile and return of the nod being enough to convince him that he’d made the right call. Loeb was much more reserved and cold now, looking at Gordon as if he was nothing more than an insignificant fly on the wall. “Is this so?”

“It is”.

Neither were budging and Loeb knew it. So did Bullock who just closes his eyes and huffs, shaking his head. He pulls out a cigarette and begins to light it, taking a long drag before turning to cast a look to his left and right at Montoya and Gordon respectively. “I gave you two a chance. Shoulda taken it”.

With those final words he stands up, hands in his pockets, and advances to the door, exiting out into the main area where other officers were engaged in making themselves look busy despite the fact that they were all listening in on the conversation as best they could.

“So, do you want to take this a step further?” Loeb asks, wanting to test the waters to see if there was something either of them were angling for. After all, everyone could be bought, or so Gillian Loeb assumed. 

“All the way. District Attorney Dent. He’ll look into this and ensure that it’s investigated” Montoya says. Gordon stands, joining the woman in solidarity. “I will cooperate in any way the DA needs me”.

Loeb purses his lips and nods to himself, reaching for his drawer and opening it, pulling out yet another envelope and file. ‘Him and his damn envelopes. He probably has one on everyone in the city’.

“Close the door...Lieutenant Gordon” he orders.

“If you don’t mind sir, I think we should keep it open. You know...for transparency” Montoya says, stopping Jim with a hand on his shoulder. “As you wish. Open the file then officer Montoya” he says, sliding the manilla folder across his desk. Renee looks down at it like it was a venomous snake before gingerly picking it up and opening it. Jim resists the urge to lean in and look himself, knowing that whatever it was was bound to be unpalatable. 

It was.

Renee gasps as she sees the contents of the folder and her shaky hands almost drop. “Ohh god, Montoya what does he have on you?” Jim asks, seeing the tears leak out of her eyes. He assumed it was some sort of threat to her family or something else equally horrendous. “Go ahead Renee, show him. Since you both want to put up a united front, how about you share this information? Could help”.

Gordon looks at Renee, his hand moving up slightly to offer it to her just in case she wanted him to see what was in the file. She looked completely broken, and it hurt to see how quickly she had been brought down by the monster named Gillian Loeb. She lets it go, just a bit, and Gordon takes the photographs inside.

His eyes strain to see what he was seeing, but eventually they shoot wide open at their implications. “Ohh no, you didn’t know that officer Montoya here was a..hmm...how do you say it? Ohh there are so many unpalatable ways to put it, but...well...pictures are worth a thousand words”.

Jim looks down again, seeing the photograph’s subjects clearly. It was Renee, in police uniform. She was obviously off duty, as it was late at night and dark, making it surprising that Loeb had managed to get them. ‘Must be paying a photographer a fortune’.

The first picture was nothing special. Just Renee walking up the entrance to a brownstone. What was interesting through, was the red haired woman waiting for her at the top of the steps. The next picture was the two of them, locked in a passionate embrace as they tried to shuffle through the door. 

“Ohh it gets juicier Gordon. Keep flipping. My guy managed to get onto the fire escape. I must say you’re wasting your talents here Renee. So flexible, you could be making much more…”.

Before anyone could stop her, the woman lunges forward and punches Loeb straight in the face, breaking his nose and sending him flying to the ground. “YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!” she sobs, the commotion being heard outside of the room. Jim grabs the woman by the shoulders as more officers swarm in, but it wasn’t to protect Loeb. He didn’t give a damn about Loeb. No. Unified fronts were what mattered to him, and after a scumbag move like Loeb had just pulled? Well, he wanted to ensure that she wouldn’t be harmed in retaliation by making it appear as if he’d restrained her.

“YOU HAD NO RIGHT! NONE!”

The woman continues to scream, trying to break out of Gordon’s grasp. “Easy Montoya. Easy” he says before leaning in to whisper. “Don’t do anything yet. We’ll nail this bastard somehow, some way”.

His words seem to have a slightly calming effect on her, but he could tell, she was still utterly broken by the pictures and the fact that Loeb had them. Loeb meanwhile, was trying to get up off the floor, holding his nose. “I’ll have you up on charges for that!” he shouts, though his voice had a distinctly nasally quality now.

“Hell of a time to decide to start being a cop Loeb” Gordon growls, staring the man down. At this point a few other officers had milled into the room, some undisguisedly happy to see Loeb knocked down a peg, literally. ‘Maybe..maybe we can use this’ Gordon thinks, deciding to play the commissioner’s game. 

“Are you alright commissioner? That was a nasty fall you took. You should be more careful” he says, drawing a confused look from Montoya who turns and slowly lets it dawn on her. “You son of a bitch. She broke my fucking nose” he says, leaning against the desk to keep from falling. “Ohh commissioner. Maybe you should see a doctor. I think you’re imagining things” Gordon says.

Loeb was seething, but he knew he couldn’ do anything. Having any of the details from his end of this meeting come out would be politically unpalatable. He could do alot, and hell he could get away with more, but he didn’t want to have to do damage control with the community over allegations of threatening an employee with exposure of her sexual orientation. He knew his prints were all over the file now in Montoya’s hand. ‘Stupid, stupid, stupid’. He’d been on top for too long, and now? Now he was getting soft.

“Did anyone else see the commissioner fall? It was pretty bad wasn’t it?”.

Silence echoes out over the office, most cops being too afraid to stand up to the man. But now, here? There were too beacons, two people, standing up to the corruption within their department. Most of them, the true believers who had tried to keep themselves safe by hiding away and ducking down, felt like a chance was on them.

It started with a pebble.

“Ohh yeah, I saw him fall. Pretty bad. Yeah…” one officer says, standing up from his desk. Others are quick to join in, adding their two cents or jokingly offering Loeb their sympathies. It appeared that Loeb and his merry band of RICO applicable officers were not as popular as the others would have liked to think. 

There were a few who looked positively put out by the coup that seemed to be happening around them, but they had the good sense to keep quiet and not voice their support openly. Loeb though? He didn’t know when to quit. “Well Montoya, I can’t wait to let your parents see what their little girl is up to on her nights off. Whose keeping her bed warm. I think they’ll be so proud won’t they”.

“Yeah” Gordon says, not wanting to let the man’s words stand. “They will. Let’s go Montoya. We have a patrol we need to do. Someone doesn’t seem to want us down by the docks, and our commissioner has been...busy elsewhere. So how about we take a few guys down there and do some police work?”

The woman’s slight tears had dried, and with one brush of the back of her sleeve the rest were gone too. “Alright Lieutenant. Let’s go”. 

The two turn and exit out of the office, not even bothering to wait for a dismissal as the man behind them shuffles to find tissues, trying to staunch the nose bleed. “Thanks” she says simply by to the Lieutenant.

“For backing me up in there. You kind of surprised me”.

“Why is that?”

She looks straight back at the man and shrugs. “I don’t know. I just kind of thought you were one of Loeb’s guys after that talk in the office. Figured he’d either paid you off or threatened you with something big. Either way, didn’t think you’d back me up but…”.

“Don’t mention it” he says, stopping as the two enter the stairwell. He places a hand on her shoulder to stop her from moving forward, needing to have a conversation. “The girl. Who is she?”   
  


Her eyes flare up in anger and she makes to disengage from him. “That’s non…”

“I have a family” he begins. “Loeb threatened them. My wife, my son, and my little girl. If you’re close to this woman he’ll use it. I figured if I knew who she was I could at least help in that. But either way, I want you to warn her. Can she defend herself in any way?”

Montoya seems to let the anger move out of her instantly and deflates, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. “Ohh. Umm yeah. She can. Ex army” she says smiling to herself. “Her name is Kathy. Kathy Kane. We’ve been...seeing each other for a while”.

“Ahh. And it’s still hidden from the family I’m assuming?”

“Yeah” she admits, not wanting to say any more on the subject.

Gordon looks at her quietly and nods, pinching the bridge of his nose and pushing his eye glasses up and down a few times. “Do you want my advice?”   
  


“Something tells me you’re going to give it to me anyway” she chuckles. Gordon smiles, a genuine one. It felt good to smile and mean it. “Tell them, before Loeb does, and tell them why you’re telling them” he further explains. 

“It isn’t that simple”.

“It is” he says. “My parents would disown…”.

“Look, I’m old school but I have a daughter and a son. As much as I’d be uncomfortable maybe, if they told me something like that, it wouldn’t change things. Don’t worry too much about it. Usually, whatever it is we’re scared of isn’t half as bad as we think it’ll be”.

The words settle on the officer and eventually she nods. “Yeah, it might as well be me that tells them than an envelope in the mail” she admits with a shrug. “But I hope you’re right”.

“Of course I am” he says, picking out his own pack of cigarettes and matches from his jacket pocket and lighting one up, moving down the hall. “I’m the Lieutenant. Now. Let’s finally get some goddamned work done”.

**_Vreeland Park, Gotham City_ **

“You’re kidding me” Harley teases exasperatedly. Bruce just smiles back, sipping at his cup of coffee. “Nope. I went to Cobblepot park all the time as a kid too”.

“Huh, small world. I figured a family like the Wayne’s would have their own little park in the backyard for their cute little tyke” she says, leaning her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her palm. “I suppose we forgot about it. After all the swimming pool, tennis court and riding stables had to be put in first”.

“Liar, you don’t have any of that in your yard. I’ve seen it. It’s actually kind of sparse for a richy rich kind of place. Why is that?”   
  


“Well, the Waynes have always been about elegance through simplicity”.

“That makes sense. I mean, I could see it in the design of the house. Bruce…” she begins nervously. “Can you...I don’t know, tell me about them?” she asks.

“About who?”

“Your parents” she admits, not wanting to upset him but also not being able to help the fact that she was a doctor, and she wanted to help Bruce. She desperately wanted to help him wipe away the sadness that was always in his eyes. Her looks away, back over the park and sighs, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “Bruce, I’m sorry. We don’t have to it’s just…”.

“I’m beginning to forget their faces”.

The sentence was sudden and monumental in its substance. She knew that he’d wanted to say this for a long time, and she reaches out and takes his hand unthinkingly. Slowly he takes it, squeezing her digits in between his. “I...of course I know what they look like. Their picture hangs in my study but, I can’t just recall their faces without it. The only clear memory I have left is that night”.

She instantly knew what he was talking about and just lets him continue. She wanted to rush over and hold him, tell him that everything was going to be alright. But she knew that they were in the trough of the wave when it came to his emotions. He was only just starting, and soon he would let more pour upwards before crashing. She’d be there when he did. “They were amazing people. My mom, well she was just beautiful and my dad, gruff but fair. Quietly loving. He was a surgeon. Also a fan of practical jokes and fast cars though mom was strict with him on that”.

He stops for a moment, trying not to reflect on that night. She could see how it haunted him, as anyone would be expected to be. “I remember the gun. How they both pleaded. Why couldn’t he just take the money? Why? Why..why did…”. He stops himself, not wanting to break down in front of the woman and not realizing that she didn’t give a damn if he did. “I left Gotham. When I was old enough. Travelled. Learned things. I tried to become a master of my own destiny. I still feel like I’m trapped there though like…”.

“Tell me a different memory” she interrupts, reaching her other hand across and now taking both of his hands in her own. “What?”

“I want you to talk about a different memory. A happy or mundane one. Just tell me one” she says, smiling lightly as the man was obviously confused. “It’ll help Bruce”.

“I…” he chuckles to himself as he tries to begin. “Now that I think about it, I do have one. Of Cobblepot park. When it was nice”. It was a pleasant surprise to Harleen and she wills him to go on with a nod of her head. “My mom took me there. It was...I think fall. I was young. Very young. She would sit and watch me play. She wasn’t really close to any of the other women and to them she was Mrs. Wayne. Untouchable. That always hurt her a little bit but, she was so focused on me that she was able to block it out. She was a good mother”.

“Anyways, I was playing in the sandbox and there was a little girl on the other side of it. She had these blonde pigtails and I don’t remember why I remember it so vividly but she had this...blue? Or maybe...I don’t know off blue teddy bear. She was just playing alone and she looked sad. So I went out of the sandbox and went over to my mother. I asked her if I could ask the little girl to play with the Tonka truck I’d brought. I thought maybe she’d like putting the bear in the bucket and driving it around the sand box”. He didn’t realize it, being so lost in retelling his story, but Harleen had started to smile wide. Wider than she thought possible.

“My mom told me yes and she hugged me close and kissed me. She told me that she was proud of me for being so nice to someone. Her hugs were always the best. All encompassing, warm. I remember her perfume as well. It’s funny how the mind works”. He was still too engrossed, but he does feel Harley’s hands begin to caress his.

“I went over to the little girl, and asked her…”

“What her bear’s name was and if he or she would like to ride in the tonka truck” Harley interjects. 

Bruce was stunned. He knew that the tonka truck part would be an educated guess, but how did Harleen know that he would’ve asked what the bear’s name was first. “She told you the bear’s name was Bryan, and you said that it was a funny name. The little girl told you that it was a perfectly normal name and the two of you fought over what was and was not a normal name for a stuffed bear. Then you said that you didn’t care what his name was and asked her to play with you and Bryan” she continues on.

“How...how do you...ohh” he says, the fact suddenly dawning on him. He was completely floored now. “It’s been twenty years but yeah, it’s good to see my sandbox buddy again” she says laughing. Bruce can’t help himself either and he just joins in, the two attracting stares for how uproariously they were going at it. 

“Ohh no. Gotham is too small. Too small. How the hell did we come full circle?”

“Well, almost full circle. I guess we’d have to go back to Cobblepot park to do that” Bruce says, releasing one of her hands to take another sip on his coffee, while the other keeps a firm grip on her hand. “I had no idea what happened after that. I guess we played all day and maybe we passed out, because the next thing I remember I was home in bed”.

“Me too. Huh. Too bad our moms never exchanged numbers. We could’ve been best buds and had play dates and everything” she admits, liking that thought a lot. 

“What happened to Bryan?”

“Believe it or not? I still have him. He sits on my dresser nowadays. He’s a lot less playful now, but if you still have your tonka truck I’m sure we can get him out of there for one last spin in the sandbox” she teases, not able to help it as she chuckles into her coffee mid sip, spilling some on her nose. She keeps laughing and Bruce continues to join in, reaching across with a napkin and unpromptedly wiping her face for her. 

She takes his hand and nuzzles into it affectionately, blushing as she looks at the man. “Life can be hard Bruce” she says, wanting to give a slight medical diagnosis or rather, a little bit of advice. “Horrible things happen. To all of us” she adds, trying to push the memories of her own past down. “But it isn’t all bad. That memory in the alley, you’ve let it become your default memory of your parents. It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. I’m here to help you. Whenever you think of that night in the alley, I want you to switch gears over to that day at the park. How your mom watched you and loved you, and realize, that even if you can’t remember it, those types of things happened a lot more than you know or think. They loved you Bruce, and they still do”.

“Harleen…” he begins, not knowing why he was ready to voice some sort of disagreement. Maybe it was the Batman in the back of his mind, fighting to keep himself mission focused. ‘She’s a distraction and a threat. She’ll figure it out. Get out of here before you say something stupid’.

“Please Bruce? For me?”

Those two words were all it took. He wished he could have spoken to his father and gotten advice about women and why those two words, especially from a very important one, had such an effect. ‘God, I’m falling for her’.

The thought sent his emotions into freefall. He couldn’t be falling in love. Not now. Not with so much going on. It...it just couldn’t happen. “Okay” he says aloud, still touching her. It was like there was an undeniable link between the two, maybe one that had been forming since that first day on the playground. Bruce tried to avoid the topic of fate. He didn’t know if he believed or disbelieved, but this all had the trappings of that mysterious force.

Her, him, here, now. It all felt...natural.

“Ohh, a news story on Batman!” Harley says, turning to the left to see the tv. The blonde could easily move from one subject to another, especially if the moving of said subject would help the person she was talking to. It did. Bruce turns and smiles at the woman, watching her become enraptured by the story. 

“Batman was apparently able to escape authorities who say the masked vigilante opened fire on them first, prompting the exchange of munitions right in the middle of the bank”.

“Pfft...bullshit”.

Bruce was able to keep his cool and relax, focusing on how the woman’s skin flushed slightly from the slight wind that had picked up. “Cold?”

“A little” she admits.    
  
Bruce gets up and scoots his the chair beside her over, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and huddling her into his side. She coos and smiles, moving in close while still enjoying the view of the television. 

“Better?”

“Much”.

“Now, what were you saying about Batman and guns?” he asks, wanting to turn the conversation back on. “Ohh yeah, no. I doubt he uses guns. His whole motif seems to be against it”. He quirks an eyebrow and looks down. “Ohh?”. She sits up a bit and nods. “Yeah, he wouldn’t go through all that effort to dress up all scary like to just use a gun. Guns in and of themselves are scary. He’d just put on a ski mask and point a pistol at a criminal. Also, there were no fatalities right? In the robbery beforehand? If he had a gun, most likely, one of those guys would’ve been dead”.

“You’re really smart. Putting all that together from a news story like that”. 

“I was really good at Ispy games as a kid” she jokes. “But yeah, I think he’s a hero. Look how tough he is! Even from that little clip we saw from the cop’s bodycam, he could’ve killed one of them with a gun. He relies on gadgets though. Soooo….he’s doing everything in his power not to kill. He probably wouldn’t even want a gun on him to tempt him”.

Bruce just looks up at the screen, his mind going over the events of the previous night. “It is pretty impressive. He managed to keep going after getting shot in the arm”.

He had said it to just add to the conversation, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regrets them. Harley picks up on them instantly. Slowly, she moves from his side, sitting up to look at him, though her hands remain on his chest. “Bruce…” she begins tepidly, the gears already working in her mind.

“Nobody said where he was shot”.

He goes blank, not moving, not blinking and not even breathing. He opens his mouth a few times to try and speak, hoping that the words to dissuade her from what she was already undoubtedly piecing together would fall off his lips. Harleen doesn’t give him a chance, and instead she moves in closer, lifting the sleeve of his arm to inspect the wound once more. He didn’t stop her, not being able to move at all.    
  


Her eyes widen in shock, and she looks between the wound and Bruce’s face, not sure of what to say. ‘It all fits’ she thinks, shocked at how the pieces had been exposed for her. Slowly and steadily. She had said that tragedy most likely spurred the man on, and had noted his gadgets. Only now did she realize it would take money to finance said gadgets. It was all there. 

“Bruce…” she says quietly, a whisper on her lips. She didn’t know what to think. She was shocked, floored and surprised. Her heart was beating at a thousand a second it felt like.    
  
The man stands up, his movements disjointed and strange. “I...I have to go” he says simply, pulling out his wallet and throwing a hundred dollar bill down. Harleen’s words fail here but she still manages to reach out for the man, not wanting him to leave. He doesn’t look back. He can’t. He knows that if he does, well...maybe it was all already over. 

“Dammit, dammit” he says aloud, rushing to his car. “I have to call Alfred. Dammit”.

Meanwhile Harley is sitting down, drinking her coffee and holding the cup with shaky hands. Bruce was Batman. There was no denying it. The facts fit together, and they made sense. She couldn’t believe it. The city’s biggest secret had fallen into her lap. The man she was head over heels for, was Batman.

‘Ohh Bruce...it all makes sense’ she thinks, wanting to cry for the man. She had an idea though. An idea that was slowly worming itself into her mind. It was stupid, crazy even. Buuuuut...Harleen was realistic. She specialized in crazy after all. Two golden opportunities were now presented to her, and she’d be damned if they were going to slip through her fingers. 

She finishes her coffee and splits the hundred, leaving her money on the table. She’d expected a ride home with Bruce, but now she’d have to get a cab. Derrick would be all to happy to help, and Bruce wouldn’t mind paying for her fare and giving the man a generous tip. She huffed, a little angry at the man for leaving her there, but she understood. She forgave him. 

Soon she’d make it up to him.

**_Arkham Asylum, Gotham_ **

“Dooo dooo dee doo”.

“Huh? Who the hell is there?” the guard asks, sitting up in his chair. He’d heard it, and he knew he did. Still, Arkham did have a reputation. The old crumbling walls had seen their fair share of torment and torture. It was a surprise blood didn’t drip from them.

“I know I’m not crazy though” he says aloud, standing up and reaching for his baton he had kept alongside the seat. He had put it down at the beginning of his shift, focusing instead on the book in his hands. But now? It was gone. 

“You should really be careful about where you leave stuff?” 

The voice came from right behind him, and from the sound of the voice he wished it was a ghost or some other specter of the night. “Doe!” he says, turning to try and stop the inmate who had miraculously escaped his cell. It was too late.    
  
The baton falls on his head, causing him to fall to the floor as stars stain his vision. Joker doesn’t stop though, falling atop him and straddling his body, continuing to rain blows down on the man’s head. The laughter. The laughter was all he could here as his cranium cracked and then gushed in, sending brain matter flying upwards and out, splattering over the maniacal man’s orange prisoner jumpsuit. 

“Whoospie” Joker teases, looking at the bloodied beyond recognition body before shrugging and throwing the baton away. “Didn’t mean to hurt you or anything budsie. But it’s good practice after all. Was only after the keys” he explains to the now lifeless corpse. 

He moves up off him and begins to whistle, swinging the keys idly around his pointer finger. “Now...which one is for Harley’s office?” he asks himself, rifling through them as he makes his way down the abandoned hall. He didn’t care about the cameras that were undoubtedly following his every move. He wasn’t planning on staying her any longer any ways.

“Ehh, guess we’ll have to try them all” he says, stopping in front of the door to the woman’s office. He reaches down to test a key before looking at the massive number of dangling pieces of steel along the key ring. He throws them away and kicks the door savagely, shattering the old half rotted wood and allowing him entrance into the dark void. 

“Hehehehehehe, looks like I didn’t need to kill you after all buddy boy!” he turns his head over his shoulder, shouting down the hallway. Naturally, nobody answers, but still, the Joker chuckles at the imagined response. “Everybody is a critic. You know that was a good kill”.

He steps into the office and looks around, finding himself...disappointed as he flicks on the lights. “Harley, Harley, Harley. Kitten posters?” he asks the woman who was not present. He walks over and rips one of them down, stomping it into the floor. “And they’re not even on fire! How can you laugh at kittens if they’re not on fire?”

He sees the file cabinets and smiles wide, moving right over to them as they were his real objective. “Ohh Harley, let me learn about what gets your engine running” he teases, knowing that much would be revealed by finding her personal notebooks. He knew that all he needed to do was crack her mind. Like an egg. He’d spill it all out onto the griddle of his heart and fry her up until she was fit for eating. Or homicidal mayhem, whichever one came first. More likely the second. In fact, most definitely the second.

“Harley over easy does sound nice in other conditions though” he says, licking his lips lewdly at the thoughts that coursed through his mind. He begins to throw the manilla folders out, not seeing any of them as important to his goals. “Hmm, nope, nope, nope...AHH! Here we are” he says, hefting out a large leather bound journal hidden at the back. 

He’d been in institutions and had broken enough doctors to know that they couldn’t help themselves from keeping a book of deliciously dirty secrets. He opens it and begins reading too. “Dear Diary, today, I begun my dark descent into madness” he cackles to himself, finding the journal to be a gold mine. 

  
Now all he needed to do, was get out and find a safe space to read it in.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

At first the sound was coming from far off, which didn’t really mean too much cause for concern in the green skinned woman’s mind. In fact, it was a minor disturbance. In the past, it might’ve gotten her angry enough to wake up right then and there, just to have the chance to shout at something to break up the monotony. Recently though, her dreams had been too nice for her to want to willfully part from them.

But the noise got louder and louder, and no matter how much she wanted to nuzzle into the pillow and forget about it completely, she couldn’t. With a groan she sits up in bed, rubbing her eyes as the noise finally reveals itself fully to her.

She’s wide awake in a second.

“The alarm?” she asks herself, throwing her feet over the side of the bed and standing up, moving slowly towards the door of her cell. She grasps the bars and looks through, watching as guards rush too and fro. What frightens her the most though, is the gurney that comes by, a blood stained sheet covering the body under it.

“Ohh god, who is that?” she calls out to the guards, her mind racing with the possibilities. They don’t answer, ignoring the red haired woman as they they continue on their way. “WHO IS THAT?” she shouts out again, rattling against the bars in her anger.

“Woah woah, Pamela, it’s okay” Doyle says coming up to the cell, looking haggard beyond belief. “Who...who was that?” Pamela asks shakily, not caring if people knew she was worried. The thought of Doctor Quinzel under that sheet...she thought the body was too big to be her, but they’d moved by so fast she couldn’t be sure. Even the thought of one of her fellow inmates that she’d come to know being under there was too much.

Doyle sighs to himself, knowing that he didn’t have a lot of time to placate the obviously frightened woman, but still trying. “It’s a guard. He was on shift last night when Doe broke out. He also broke in Doctor Quinzel’s office” he says.

“Ohh god. Is she alright?” 

“She’s fine, she’s fine. I talked to her this morning to warn her. Already a step ahead of you Pam” he says, a light smile gracing his features. “Doyle, he’s obsessed with her. If he catches her, the things he’ll do…” she shivers, not able to say it. She turns back, a scowl on her face and her eyes filled with rage. “If she’s hurt by him, I’ll break out Doyle. I swear, and I’ll rip that fucking clown apart”.

Doyle looks through the bars over the woman’s shoulders and watches as her flowers tremble, seeming to tap into her rage. He had to calm her down, lest her metahuman abilities act up. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’re lookin’ all over for the guy. He ain’t gonna get far”.

“Are the police going to do anything or are they just going to be fucking useless as usual?”

“What do you mean? Our GCPD? Useless? Nahhh” he teases, trying to lighten the mood. It doesn’t work and Pamela begins to shake in her anger. “Are they going to give her any guards or what?” she says, remembering what Harley said about breathing exercises as she tries to calm herself down.

Doyle sighs and shakes his head. “No. They’re not”.

“WHY THE FUCK NOT???”

“Because they don’t think the Doc is important like we do” he explains, trying to keep calm while also being honest. “The commissioner said that the GCPD is stretched too thin. Basically, he told us to go kick rocks. Arkham already has a security detail, and the guys at the top are convinced that Doe hasn’t left the asylum grounds. How they know this? No fuckin’ clue. But that’s what they told us”.

“You need to let me out” she says, the roses growing in direct proportion to her anger. “Doyle, you need to let me out so I can protect her. You have no idea what I’ve heard that maniac say he was going to do to her. You…”.

  
“Pam, I want to. But you know I can’t let you do that. She did pass on a message though”. He stops for a second and looks both ways, ensuring that nobody was close enough to hear what he had to say. He leans closer to the bars, breaking numerous ordinances at that moment but not caring one bit as he begins to whisper conspiratorially. 

“She says that she’s staying with someone who can help her. Who also needs her help. We both know who that is so keep it to yourself” he explains, coughing and looking away. “She says to tell all of you, but you first, that she loves you guys like family. I don’t blame her for feeling that way either for the record. She wants you to calm everyone down and give Jerry a hug, her words, not mine” he says with a smile. “She added that she’ll be back soon and that Doe will be behind bars again where he belongs”.

“She told me...to….hug...someone?” she asks, already finding the thought distasteful, but knowing she’d do it, even without Harleen there to goad her on. ‘Come on, please red? Plllllleasssssse?’ she heard in her own mind. She smiled as it sounded exactly like Harley. She could even imagine the little pout she’d have on her lips to further convince her.

“Alright, I’ll do it” she says.

“Good, I’ll pass along the message. And just...stay calm Pam. She’s going to be fine. Trust me”.

“I hope you’re right Doyle” she calls out, watching as the man scurries down the hall and away from her. She looks down and sighs to herself, the cacophony of noise undoubtedly startling the other patients. She knew she had her work cut out for her when it came time to go to their communal rooms, if they even wound up able to be out of their cells today.

Pamela returns to her roses, steadying their nerves and calming them, bringing them back to a manageable size. “Shh, shh it’s okay sweeties. It’s okay. She’ll be fine. She will”.

She didn’t know why, but talking to her plants always made her feel better. Maybe it was because they couldn’t answer back with doubts or sarcasm. Who really knew? All she knew was that she loved how they moved into her touch and seemed to respond to her. It had been that way for forever. It was her little secret gift. 

But if a single hair on Harleen’s head was harmed by the maniac? Well, she’d let the cat out of the bag, and not just for guards like Doyle who kept their mouths shut. No. All of Gotham would see John Doe ripped apart by plants right in front of their very eyes.

**_Downtown Gotham_ **

“Papa, I don’t understand. What’s happening?”

He hated the fear he could hear in his daughter’s voice, and he hated that he couldn’t explain and maybe take some of it away. He knew that this life would always put her in danger, but stupidly he’d thought he could protect her from it. 

“Dolcezza, I just need you to listen to me. Okay? I need you to leave Gotham. Just for a little while” he says, taking his daughter’s face in his hands and kissing her forehead. That didn’t help, and the fear in his Helena’s eyes only increased. “Why? What’s going on?” she asks.

Franco turns to look at one of his few remaining guards, who was standing by the driver side door of the car that was going to take Helena out of the city. He looks away, giving the father and daughter some privacy. Still, his hand was in his jacket, ready to draw out the pistol he undoubtedly kept secreted on him. 

“Helena” he begins, trying to get ready to deliver the news that he knew would crush the girl. He hated it. He could barely keep himself together and here he was trying to ensure his daughter didn’t fall apart too. “Daddy what is going on? You’re scaring me”.

“Your mama was killed last night”.

The words fall out of his mouth and land directly on the young woman with the impact of falling cinderblocks. Her face falls, her mouth opens and words try to make their way out. Only tears come freely through, and she begins to struggle in the man’s grasp. “No, no you’re lying”.

“She was killed by one of Falcone’s men while she was shopping. He sent a driver and they waited until she left the store. I...I...her guards, the men I trusted, they helped kill her…”

“No, no! Uncle Carmine wouldn’t do that! He wouldn’t!” she shouts, falling against him and beating his chest, anger and a desire for comfort welling up within her. She begins to beat her fists against his chest and he lets her, wrapping her arms about her shoulders and holding her tight. She sobs even harder, and tears begin to leak out of the tough mobster’s eyes himself. “Helena...I’m…”

“You were supposed to protect her!!” she screams, sobbing and shaking her head, trying to push off the reality of the situation. “You were supposed to keep her safe! You...you just had to”. She couldn’t understand. She’d always seen her father as one of the most powerful men in the city. He didn’t have an official position. He wasn’t elected, and he didn’t show up for career day. Helena had known. Maybe she’d always known about the illicit nature of her father. But now? The chickens were coming home to roost, and she was left to deal with the consequences, the sins of the father.

“I know, I know Helena, dio mi accidenti I know. This is my fault, and I’ll never forgive myself for it. But now, I need to save you. That’s why you’re leaving Gotham...and I don’t ever want you to come back”.

Her eyes widen and lock onto her father, realization setting in that he wasn’t coming with her. “Papa no….no you can’t! We both have to go. One day we can come…”.

He takes her hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing it. “I wish I could sweetie. I wish I could but...I can’t walk away from this. I deserve this. I may have lived life like a roach, cowering in the shadows, doing bad things. But I won’t die that way. Your mama...she’d be so proud of you” he says, brushing his thumb over her cheek as he tries to stifle her tears. It doesn’t work.    
  
“Live better than me Helena. Make the Bertinelli name really mean something. Ti amo Helena” he says, being interrupted by the sound of tires screeching as a Lincoln continental rounds the corner of the street. His eyes widen and he grasps Helena by the arm, opening the door with the other. His guard was already on his way into the driver’s seat and the car starts a second later. “Get her out of here Carlo! I’m counting on you. You’re the only one left. Helena” he says, casting one last look at his daughter as he draws the pistol from his concealed holster. “Don’t come looking for revenge my daughter” he says intently, closing his eyes and turning to watch as the car comes closer, spelling his doom. 

“You’ll wind up digging two graves. I love you”.

With those final words he closes the door and before Helena could unlock it and jump out, Carlo pulls the car off of the curb and speeds off. Franco turns, now focused on his assassins who drew their weapons and leaned out of the window of the car. “Come on then you motherfuckers!” he says, raising his pistol and firing a few rounds, starting off the final battle of what would eventually be known as the Bertinelli-Falcone war.

The bullets impact against the hood of the car and the windshield, blood spattering from the passenger seat as one of the assassins is killed. It doesn’t deter the driver or the other two, who begin to fire back, hitting the store front to the side of Franco and sending a few civilians scattering. 

“Fuck you!”

More shots ring out, and the Lincoln moves in closer, skirting the curb. Franco looks into the eyes of the gunman in the back, and he knows that this will be the last face he ever seens. Before he can even raise his pistol again, the burst of automatic fire rips into him, breaking some of his ribs and imbedding rounds in his inner organs. He falls to his knees instantly, his hand still clutching his pistol. Blood begins to pool out from the wound, and he coughs some up. He knows he’s a goner, and that this is the end. He raises his pistol, one last act of defiance that is quickly cut short by another burst of fire. This time he falls back, and the pistol lands against the hard, unforgiving concrete before falling out and sliding just out of his reach.

He lays there, gasping for breath, and feeling the life slip away from him. “Helena…” he whispers, knowing that his daughter was safe, or at least praying to God that she would be. “At least...at least…”.

His thoughts are interrupted as he hears the sound of car doors opening and closing, slamming shut behind whoever had exited. He turns his head as a shadow crosses over him, and he looks up at the gunman. “Mandragora” he hisses, rage filling him at the sight of his former Lieutenant.    
  


“Ohh Franco. This could’ve all been different” the large man says, bringing his own weapon to bear. “Fuck you”.

“Ohh, no need for such language” the man teases, kicking his former boss in the side and causing him no small amount of pain. “Then again, might as well be defiant to the end. It’s a good story. If only you’d have listened and gave in to Falcone. If you’d just made the deal. No. You had to be arrogant. And now? You get to die for it. Such a shame about your wife. Fine piece of ass she was. If you had been with her, she probably would still be alive. It was only you we wanted”.

Franco begins to gasp for breath, the blood pouring out of his mouth while he struggles to breath. Mandragora knew that the man’s time was short and leans down onto his knees to better hear him. “Do you have any last words for Mister Falcone? Man to man?” he asks. “On my honor, I’ll tell him whatever it is” he swears.

Franco looks up at him for a second before deciding to risk it. He had nothing else to lose. “Tell him, two things. One, tell...ask...leave my daughter...out” he says, straining to actually speak the words as the blood in his throat was making it harder and harder. 

Mandragora felt moved by this sentiment, and for some reason, he knew that he would inevitably honor it. He expected Franco Bertinelli’s last request to be something defiant and stupid, or something related to the business, but...it had been something honorable instead.

People could truly surprise you in their last moments.

“Done. I swear to God” he says, the solemn oath being sworn in such heinous circumstances, but both knew it would hold. “And what was the second one?”

Franco begins to smile, though it was a blood soaked grimace now more so than a smile. “Tell Carmine that I….” he stops to cough, the blood freely spitting out onto the pavement. “I...hope...the bat fucks him without lube” he begins to chuckle, looking up at the man. “I...I have a feeling...things are gonna get harder for friends of ours in Gotham” he continues, inhaling deeply, one last time. “In a way? I’m kind of glad I got out now….you’re...you’re…”.

The last word is lost, but Mandragora scowls down at the man who died with a smile on his face, knowing that he’d been able to protect his daughter and get one last jab in at Falcone. Mandragora was considering not passing along that particular part of the message, but a dying man’s words were a dying man’s words. 

“Pfft. You always were a scumbag Franco” he says, taking a neckerchief and leaning down to collect some of the dead mob boss’ blood, proof of his death. It was cliche, and didn’t prove a damn thing to anyone, but it was just another one of those peculiarities of organized crime in Gotham.

He looks back towards the car, knowing that he’d inevitably have to get a new one due to how much damage had been done to it in Bertinelli’s last stand. Then again, he was taking over all of the man’s rackets now. He could afford it. 

He begins to walk back towards the vehicle, where his men were already going over the body of yet another one of his underlings. “Jimmy’s dead boss” a man says, stepping up to give the grim news. Mandragora nods, putting on a face of sadness despite the fact that he didn’t care. He didn’t even know who Jimmy was. Just another face he had ordered into the car for him. They all knew the risks. Each and every one of them, and they’d cut each other’s throats to get to the top. Hell, he knew he did.

And now, just for now, he was content. There would come a day when the ruins of the Bertinelli empire wouldn’t be enough, and he would then move on Falcone. But that was a mission for another day. 

For now? It was time to bask in his victory. 

He didn’t know that hateful eyes were watching him, moving quickly off into the distance. Helena continued to glare at the man, gripping the seat rests as angry hot tears made their quiet hike down her cheeks. Only the roar of the engine could be heard, and Carlo looks behind him in the rearview mirror. He was the only one loyal to the boss in the end. Even when he could’ve been paid off. Something kept him there though. That day in the long distant past when Franco had saved his life. Given him a job. Meaning.

Now, he had to look after the man’s daughter. 

He was out of his depth.

Slowly Helena turns around and sits in her seat, wiping her eyes. She looks down at the floorboard, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Her father’s words were hanging heavily on her heart. But right now, the thought of digging two graves? It didn’t seem so bad.

“Carlo” she begins quietly. 

“Yes Mrs. Bertinelli?”

“Where are we going?”

“A safehouse out in the countryside for a little while. Then, to LA international. We’re taking a flight to Moscow and from there, to Italy. You have some family there to take care of you and make a new start”.

“Is that what you want Carlo? A new start?” she asks, suddenly firm in tone.

The man doesn’t say anything and just keeps driving, constantly checking in the mirrors to ensure that they aren’t being followed. “Is it?” she asks again, seething.

“No” he admits.

“Good, because that’s not what we’re going to do”.

“Mrs. Bertinelli, we need to go to Italy…”

“We are Carlo. We are. But I’m not just going to spend the rest of my life sitting there. No. I’m going to train, and you’re going to help me” she explains, the same fire that existed in Franco seeming to have been inherited by her. “Are you with me? Are you with me like you were with my father Carlo? I’m asking if I can trust you. If not, I don’t want you here” she says.

He looks at her through the mirror and he doesn’t know what to do. He had watched her grow up, play with dolls and go to school. Now? She was talking about becoming a killer. He knew what she was saying, and he knew what it was like. He didn’t want that for her. He knew what Franco wanted for his little girl.

‘Franco is dead’ he thinks, feeling the cold rage grip his heart. He looks into his daughter’s eyes and sees the same thing. ‘God forgive me boss’ he prays, hoping the dead man would hear him but knowing he would never forgive him. “Alright. I’ll teach you. But only when it’s safe”.

“Good. We’re going to come back to Gotham one day. Even if I have to dig a million graves” she says, the sadness returning as she looks back at the city she had known her entire life. “Mama, papa...ti amo” she says, brushing away her final tears, burying them inside of her and willing them into ice.

She would shove that shard of ice into Carmine Falcone’s heart one day.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

It was windy today, not that he cared. He wouldn’t have cared if it was snowing. What mattered was being here, with his parents. Their grave was well kept, the weeds removed and flowers constantly placed there. He didn’t doubt that Alfred kept their plot nice and tidy.

They were buried at Wayne Manor, in the small private Wayne cemetery. There weren’t many tombstones here, but the ones that were stretched all the way back through time to the founding of Gotham. The Wayne’s had been instrumental in that. His parents had been too.

All great men and women. Pioneers, builders, adventurers and heroes. He had hoped to be one of them, even if nobody but him and the silent stone knew. The Batman would’ve been his mark. His legacy. A monument to his parents. Something to mirror and reflect, but never surpass them.

Now? It was a stillborn dream. 

He hadn’t heard from Harleen, and he didn’t dare call her. He’d been nearly catatonic while telling Alfred about how she had deduced who he was. The butler had probably been secretly happy, thinking that perhaps the mission would end. 

It hadn’t.

Bruce still donned the suit that night, and he still threw himself into the abyss, perhaps with greater relish than he ever had before. He thought it might be his last night, and he wanted to make a difference. Part of his mind even fixated on the thought of dying. Letting a gunman run him down, leaving hid body to be discovered by police and reporters. News stories would run, questioning why Bruce Wayne would do such a thing. 

Inevitably people would think he was trying to help, and maybe, just maybe that would give them some hope. The idea that one man could do something. Then again, he knew that if he died that easily, the effect would’ve been the opposite. It would’ve just confirmed the fact that everyone knew in their hearts. Maybe the fact that even he knew to be true. He was hiding from it, trying to fight it off. 

But maybe, just maybe, Gotham was hopeless.

He moves down onto his knee and brushes his hand over the names on the tombstone. He lingers over the words, “beloved mother and father”. 

“Mom, dad...I...I don’t know what to do” he explains. “I know what I want. I know what needs to be done but...I’ve done something that jeopardizes it all. I failed you and I’m so sorry” he says, the tears beginning to leak out of his eyes. “I wanted to make a difference. A change. Stand against the tide. But I’m only one man. How can I do it when there is so many working against me? I don’t know what to do or how to go forward. Please just..send me a sign. Anything. I...I’m so sorry…..I don’t know if I can do this. If anyone can do this”.

“Doubting yourself isn’t going to work”.

The voice from behind him comes quickly and unexpectedly, forcing him to turn abruptly. He sees a completely unexpected face and it sets his heart to stone. “Harleen” he says simply, standing up.

She smiles at him, though it was a reserved nervous smile. She was wearing a coat herself, a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. “Bruce. I kind of knew you would be here”.

He looks away, back over the rolling hills of the Wayne estate. “What do you want Harley? What is it that I have to pay you to keep this quiet? That’s why I assume you’re here” he says.

Harley’s reaction is quick and brutal, as she walks up to him and glares into his face. She calms down quickly enough though, and reaches up to touch his shoulder. The contact calms Bruce too, and he can’t help himself as he places a hand on her waist. “How dare you” she whispers quietly, making the man realize that he’d hurt her. ‘She isn’t here to blackmail you’ he thinks, realizing the mistake he’d made in his anger. It wasn’t her fault that he’d slipped up. It was his, and he had to work hard to remember that. 

He hugs her close, his arms going about her lower back as the two pull against each other. “I’m sorry” he says, whispering into her neck. “I...even though it hasn’t been so long, I know you better than that”. Harleen just nuzzles tighter against him, arms moving about his shoulder and neck. “You damn well better remember that” she says, meaning every word. Slowly they back away from each other and Harley shuffles on her feet. “So...you’re the Batman” she says, stating the obvious.

“Yes”.

“It makes sense” she admits. “You’re a good man Bruce. Better than this city deserves”.

He doesn’t want to talk about that. Not right now. He can’t. Instead, he tries to shift the conversation. “Why are you here Harley?”

“I’m here to ask for your help, and also offer it” she says, reaching into her duffle bag and retrieving a manilla folder out of it. She hands it over to Bruce, who opens it without a word and begins to read over it. “This is John Doe’s psychological profile” he says, looking at the blonde askance. 

Harley just shrugs, and smiles back at the man. “Uhhmm. All assembled by yours truly. I just broke tons of rules in regards to client confidentiality. Had to trespass on Arkham to get back in too” she explains before reaching out to squeeze his arm. “So, you have something on me, but I trust you Bruce. Just like you can trust me”.

He isn’t ready to mentally acknowledge that fact yet, and simply continues to look over the files. “Why did you have to sneak back into Arkham? You work there”.

“Last night” she begins. “John broke out of his cell and brutally killed a guard. The staff at Arkham have reason to believe he is obsessed with me. Crazy right?” she asks with a smile.

Bruce looks up at her and nods, unable to get the fact that he’d been able to think of very little aside from her and his mission as of late. “Not really”.

She tilts her head and blushes, smiling even wider. “Hell of a way to compliment a girl Bruce. Using a psychopath’s affections to flatter her. But, that fact aside, they don’t want me working at Arkham until he’s apprehended as they believe that he’s still on the asylum’s grounds”.

“Did they issue any police protection?” he asks, receiving a negative answer from the woman. “Nope” she teases, loudly popping the p. “They told me to stay away from the possible one place where I’m safe and hoof it out here by my lonesome. Said they’d “keep tabs” on me, but nothing since then. So...I’m on my own”.

Bruce frowns and shakes his head. “No. You’re not”.

He closes the file and hands it back to Harleen who takes it and replaces it in her bag. “Does he know about our...relationship?” he asks, trying to put a word on it. He didn’t want to overstep and offend her, while at the same time being afraid of making that leap himself. She understands and continues. “No. All that was missing from my office was a leather bound journal that I keep to throw someone after my real journal off. My...well...real stuff was tucked away and the fake one didn’t have any mention of you. Just the fact that there was...a man who I am possibly, maybe, starting to have big feelings for”. 

“That so?” Bruce asks with a quirked eyebrow. 

“It’s so...Joe” she teases before shaking her head. “No, no that fell flat”.

The two stand there in silence before Bruce begins to speak once more. “You can stay at Wayne manor until he’s captured. You’ll be safe here. I promise”. He doesn’t say anything else before beginning to walk towards the house. Harley races to catch up to him, finding his long strides indeed quite the challenge.

The smile that was on her face despite the grim situation she found herself in was almost starting to feel like it was permanently fixed around Bruce. She knew she was getting to him. His body language was giving it away, how he looked at her and talked with her. 

She knew the tells.

It only made her want him more. 

He advances up the steps to the manor and opens the door, waiting for her finally like a gentleman. “Alfred” he calls out, allowing Harley entrance into his home for the first time without a multitude of other people present. 

“Yes Master Way...ohh...Mrs. Quinzel I presume?” the older man asks. Harley steps forward and reaches her hand out to the man who takes it. “Alfred, just call me Harleen. Or Harley. Bruce has told me a lot about you”.

“As he has of you to me madam” the British gentleman says, a nervous expression on his face as he looks at his charge. He was all for Bruce letting more people into his circle and trusting them, but this? This seemed off. 

“Master Bruce...are you sure that…”

“I’m sure Alfred. You already know that Harley knows” he explains. “I want her to be safe. An Arkham prisoner John Doe has escaped and is now most likely after her” he says, turning into the parlor and moving over towards the grandfather clock. “He doesn’t know about...Harley and I, but just to be sure, Harley is going to be staying here until he’s captured and put back into Arkham”.

Bruce reaches up and removes the glass lid, exposing the hands of the ancient family antique he had gutted to serve more than one purpose. Harley was enraptured, having already guessed at what he was doing. With a final tick, the clock moves forward and to the side, exposing the hidden passageway down into the bat cave. He advances down the steps, Harley excitedly following as she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her mouth.

“Spooky. Into the dark knight’s lair!” she says, causing the two men to stop and look at her. “What? You’re going to get over nicknames you know. Dark Knight is probably one of the better ones” she explains, stepping down and following Bruce.

Bruce looks at Alfred who shrugs and follows behind as well. “She does have a point sir”.

“Hmm”.

The lights flicker on, exposing the inner confines of the cave to the woman for the first time. She gasps in shock, the computer dominating the room. Her eyes next turn to the batmobile which sat on the rotating platform, aimed at an obvious exit to the tunnel. Boxes and gadgets, display cases as of yet unfilled littered the cave. Harley found her eyes drawn to each and every one.

“Wow...it...it must’ve cost a fortune…”.

“It did” Bruce supplants, moving right over to the computer and working on inputting the file. “Computer, run analysis on Arkham inmate John Doe, number 11940” he says, activating the computer which apparently runs the search on background. He gets up next, apparently having forgotten that Harley was there, as moves over towards the computer.

Bruce was at the display case holding the batsuit, and he opened it quickly, retrieving the combat armored suit which served as the main weapon in his arsenal. He pushes off his coat and strips down out of his shirt and pants, leaving him in only his boxers. Harley, who was sitting at the computer, takes a moment to appraise him, and bites her lips as she watches.    
  
Alfred notices and lets out a cough of warning to Bruce, who turns just as he was slipping into the pants of the suit. He gestures over at Harley who just gives a little wave, openly ogling the man. “Don’t mind me. Just...taking it all in”. Bruce can’t help but laugh and shake his head. Even when things were serious, Harley somehow found a way to crack a joke and ease the tension. He continues to dress, slipping on the torso and clipping in all the armored pieces, which fit together much like kevlar plates.

The only difference was that his armor made kevlar look like sheet metal. With one final movement he slips on the cowl and engages the suit lockdown, securing him inside of it until he’d disengage it at the end of his patrol, a fail safe to protect his identity in the event of him being compromised. 

“Harley” he says, turning and looking at the woman. His voice was different, masked by the suit. It was gruffer and more threatening, obviously another attempt at intimidation. “Ohhh….that voice. No offense Brucey, but I prefer yours” she says, standing up and moving towards the woman. “Are we heading out?” she asks.

“No. You’re staying here”.

“What? Bruce...no. You need some help. Let me come with you. I can probably talk him down or distract him even if you find him. It’ll…”.

“Harleen no. You stay here” he says, his hands rubbing her shoulders. “I need you safe. Alfred” he says, looking over at the butler. “Ensure that Mrs. Quinzel is fed, and if you could, please make up the bed down here for her. Just in the event that I can’t find him tonight. We have to be prepared to keep you here for a little while”.

“Yes Master Wayne”.

“Bruce, I’m not a china doll. I can fight!” Harley shouts. “Let me come out and help you. You don’t need to do this alone” she pleads, reaching up to rub his cheek through the cowl. For a moment, it looks like she’s getting to him, and he reaches up to take her hand in his own. He quickly removes it and turns towards the batmobile. “No. Harleen, stay here. That’s an order”.

Harley fumes, stamping her foot down and crossing her arms under her chest. “If you think I’m just going to bark like a dog and roll over every time you order me too, you’re wrong!” she shouts.

Bruce doesn’t seem to hear her, or rather he pretends that he doesn’t. The canopy of the batmobile opens and he jumps in. “Harley...just listen to me. Please” he says, the canopy closing right behind his words. The car turns, or rather, the platform the car was on turns, and soon the batmobile is rocketing out of the cave.

Harleen takes a moment to appreciate the vehicle and can’t help but think that she needed to try out such a toy. ‘Alright Bruce, so we’re doing this the hard way’ she thinks, knowing that the next part of her plan required that she be alone in the cave for a little while. 

With the sound of the batmobile receding into the night, it is just her and Alfred left in the cave. She turns and smiles at the old man. “Well, I didn’t mean it about the barking and rolling over thing. If he’s really kinky and asks me to do it in bed, I wouldn’t exactly mind” she teases. The man turns a bright red, not knowing how to respond to such a sentiment. 

“My word” he exclaims in utter shock. ‘Okay, we have a tactic to use’ she thinks mentally. She moves over to the batcomputer and decides to keep playing with the man, only needing to convince him to leave for the house for a few minutes. “Hey batcomputer, what kind of kinky stuff does Bruce like?” 

“Mrs. Quinzel, I must insist that you do not touch the computer…” Alfred begins before the woman continues on, going through the search browser history.

“Ohh wow, well, the voice thingy doesn’t work, but good to know the classic is still available. My oh my, is Bruce a naughty boy” she exclaims, giggling loud as can be. Alfred turns practically puce colored and averts his eyes, not even wanting to know what Bruce could possibly be googling when he was all alone. Harley however, seemed to be unfettered, and eagerly delved into the evidence of Bruce’s...private time.

He had no idea that the batcomputer even had such a function as normal internet connectivity. 

“I shall go and fetch a few blankets and sheets, and perhaps get started on your meal Mrs. Quinzel. Is there anything specific you would like?” he asks, dislike and amusement swirling around him when it comes to the blonde who had entered Bruce’s life like a whirlwind. 

Harley keeps looking at the screen, smiling and licking her lips. “Ohh uhh thanks Alfred. How about meatloaf with cheese in it? Just like my mother use to make” she jokes. The butler nods, happy to have an excuse to not be around when Harley rifled through Bruce’s most treasured secrets. If Bruce trusted her, he had no choice, but still, he issued the woman a warning. “Please...feel free to use the computer for...whatever it is you wish, but the cave is dangerous. Do not touch anything, and do not go anywhere else. I shall be back shortly” he says, making a beeline for the exit to the cave.

“Alright Al. Thanks buddy!” she teases vapidly, putting on the act and smiling. Once he’s gone it drops, and her face turns serious. Bruce didn’t have any dirty secrets on the batcomputer, and even if he did, she wouldn't have gone through them. She’d be tempted to yes, but she would have stopped herself. 

She picks up her duffle bag and unzips it, looking around the cave for other items she could use. This was insane, crazy, but she wouldn’t let Bruce fight her battles for her without being right next to him. She removes the file and places it back down on the desk, reaching in for what was hidden below. She retracts a pair of combat boots, and then a long motorcycle suit. She’d made a few...alterations to it. Now, attached at the neck, was a cowl, and on the chest? A red bat symbol. She takes a moment to admire it, knowing that while it had been a quick job of hers, it had been a good one. She gives one final look around, noting where Bruce dropped some of his supplies. 

She slips out of her jacket and shirt, much like Bruce had before, before adding her pants to the growing pile of clothes. She folds them up nicely, not wanting to leave a mess for Alfred whom she was already feeling bad for deceiving. 

‘I’ll make it up to him’ she promises, slipping into the one piece suit and zipping it up. She leans down to lace up the combat boots, doing a quick job of it. She then lifts the cowl over her head, undoing her bun and then pushing her long golden locks through the slit she’d sewn into the back of it. 

“Okay, this...this is cool” she says, looking at her reflection in the glass of an empty display case. She quickly grasps a makeshift utility belt, which was really nothing more than a tan handyman’s belt she’d converted to the best of her abilities. She rushes over to what she was now going to refer to as the armory.

Her eyes go wide at just how much stuff Bruce had. “I don’t even know what half this stuff is” she sighs, deciding to not risk the unknown with this. Instead, she grabs a few batarangs, smoke pellets and a batclaw, keeping it simple for the moment. When all of these things were secreted on her person or in her belt, she began to realize a problem with her plan.

“Dammit...how the hell am I going to get out of here? I can’t exactly walk everywhere” she says, scratching her head. She looks around the cave and sees nothing until...she does see something. On the raised platform was a tarp, and under the tarp was….something. She rushes over to it, glad that running and moving in her suit wasn’t too hard. With a flourish she pulls the tarp off, exposing a motor bike of some sort. It was obvious that this was something Bruce was working on. It looked more like a mountain bike than a justice dealing weapon against crime, but then again...it would do. 

She sets it upright and moves it onto the ramp, looking down at the controls. “Ohh, a computer? GPS?” she asks herself, flicking the switch on. The computer starts up rather quickly, and joyously she realizes that it was tracking Bruce’s location, showing where the batmobile was going. 

She smiles and starts up the batcycle as she would call it, revving it before making ready to take off. “Alright Gotham. Batman has a Batwoman with him now. Watch out”.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Gotham City_ **

He didn’t know where he was going, or rather, he didn’t know if where he was going would pan out into anything more than a snipe hunt. All he had to go on was a comment made by John Doe that he’d seen in his file. He’d said that Ace Chemicals, was where he was “born”.

He remembered exactly as he had an eidetic memory. Everything that was John Doe had been laid bare before him, and he was able to read the man well. He knew that what the man presented to them was a front. A carefully constructed facade meant to throw them off. Harley saw it too, and that thought pleased him. She was smart, and deadly good at her job. 

She’d been in the middle of cracking him, breaking him down and trying to get to the very center of who John Doe was as a man, and a patient. She took his advice. She didn’t coddle him, as the minutes from their few meetings had shown. She didn’t give into his mind games, and she went on the offensive, something that had unhinged the self described Joker.

He was impressed, as always, with Harley.

He tears his mind away from the woman and focuses on the road, turning onto the road that would lead him into Gotham’s inner bay area and thus towards Ace chemicals. He wanted to be quick. It was a tepid lead at best and he wasn’t sure if it would even fully pan out. 

If Doe was after Harley, he’d have to captured and soon. Bruce looks down and shakes his head, trying to focus but being unable to. She was there, in his cave. That was a huge step for him and he didn’t quite know why he’d taken it. Part of him was questioning why he thought he could trust Harley so much, while the other was just trying to placate him that he indeed could.

An alarm in the batmobile breaks him out of his stupor and he looks at the computer. “Dammit”. An alert was going off for the Gotham shipyard. He’d placed a few sensors there, trying to get a read on the now very haphazard shipments coming in. Until now it had been dead, but suddenly...a ship was coming in, and it was carrying a suspicious heat signature. 

“I’m sorry Harley” he says aloud, knowing that the woman couldn’t hear him as she wasn’t there. He’d have to put the investigation into John Doe on hold. For now. He swerves the batmobile, almost taking out a telephone pole in the process. The engine roars as he throws the car’s nitro boosters into effect, knowing that he’d need to move fast to make it to the shipyard. Falcone’s boys had become very adept at avoiding his interference.

As usual, they’d slipped up.

A few blocks behind Harley sees the batmobile rapidly course correct on her own GPS tracker, and she swerves into an alley to hide the batcycle and herself, just in time for the black vehicle to roar right past her.    
  
Bruce is gone in a second and she engages the motor again, rushing off after the man as best as she could without alerting him. It was a constant fear that she’d be discovered. After all, Bruce? He was good. She knew it. But maybe, just maybe she could slide under the radar this one time. 

‘This is so exciting!’. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game. Both of them were, and she wasn’t doing it for the fun. In fact, she really didn’t know why she was doing it. Other than the fact that she wanted to be out there with Bruce, watching his back, she had been running mostly on autopilot. She revs the engine and speeds up, narrowly missing an oncoming car as she swerves the bike into the oncoming lane.

She wasn’t going to sit back and let him fight her battles for her. Not alone.

As usual, she was planning. Planning for now, planning ahead and even looking back. “Where the hell is he going?” she asks herself, looking down at the gps tracker for only a moment before returning her eyes to the road, refusing to let her first night as Batwoman end with her plastered like a squashed bug against a concrete wall. 

“The shipyards?”

Indeed, they were coming up on the docks, and Harley cuts the engine, moving the vehicle to a stop beside a dumpster next to the closed customs office. She can still hear the sound of the batmobile moving a little deeper into the forest of containers, but she doesn’t follow too close. 

‘Alright, let’s umm...try and use this thing’ she says to herself, retracting the grappling device from it’s position on her belt. She looks around for a stable structure, having a basic and general understanding of the gadget. “Aha!’.

Her eyes land on a stack of shipping containers, and with a gleeful smile she points the device at them like she would a pistol. She squints her eyes and bites her lip, trying to aim for one of the side railings that the workers undoubtedly used to scale them. “Okay, so I’m assuming I just pull the…”

Her fingers moves, a little abruptly, and pushes down the trigger, sending the grapple rocketing out into the darkness. It momentarily unsteadies her, and she almost falls down as the she wasn’t ready for the force it would have. She hears a clank in the darkness, the impact of steel against steel, and she waits a moment before giving the line a tug. “Alright, cool...so…..manually? Kind of stupid to climb up manually. I wonder if he had a…”.

She pulls the trigger again, pulling her forward forcefully into the dark in the same trajectory that the grapple had taken and it takes all she has inside of her to not scream out in fear as she’s yanked off of terra firma. She gracelessly moves through the air, and is glad that is was night lest anyone see the embarrassing display. “Shit” she mutters to herself, as the side of the container gets closer and closer. She braces herself for impact, and with a loud clang that emanates around the immediate area she lands flat against the side. 

“Owwwwww….” she grunts, knowing that her chest was undoubtedly bruised. She turns her body, still holding onto the taut line and the grapple gun. “Alright, note to self. Get Bruce to add some more padding for me” she thinks, happy to be alive. “Also...this little toy has some oomph!”

She turns back again and reaches up for the container’s top, grasping it with her fingers with using the remaining line on the grapple gun to assist in pulling herself up. With a flourish, she swings her legs out and flips up onto the container’s roof, landing much for gracefully than she had before. “Well...twelve years of gymnastics might come in handy too”.

She picks up the steel grapple and clicks it back into the muzzle of the gun, placing it back on her waist. “Train with that some more”. She looks out over the barely lit shipyard and tries to make out where Bruce might have gone, or what would even summon him here so urgently off of his hunt for Doe.

Her attention is drawn to the far eastern corner, where a few trucks were parked with guards ambling about them. “What’s going on over there?” She perches on the side of the container, pulling out the binoculars that she’d also had the foresight to bring along from her own apartment. She looks through the lenses and tries to settle on any particular point of interest. The guards were the first thing she decided to look at.

“Well, they aren’t nightwatchmen”.

Indeed they weren’t. The men walked around the vans, armed with ak47s and vicious scowls. “If I had to guess...gonna say this is a mob thing. And that’s probably why Bruce is here. But where...ahh...wait...nope...maybe…”.

She hears the blast of a nautical horn, which came from the bay right in front of the docks. She turns her attention there and sees the freighter, moving in with only minimal lights. She didn’t know maritime law as well as she knew the human brain, but she thought that they’d at least have a few more lights on than what they had. 

She watches as a guard moves out to the end of one of the docks and flicks on a flashlight, waving the ship in. “Definitely illegal, whatever this is”.

The whir of machinery could be heard as a crane powers up, moving down the dock in preparation for unloading the ship. Whatever this was, and whoever was doing it, it was supposed to be done fast.    
  


She stands up, pocketing her binoculars once more before looking at the path laid out before her. Getting back to ground level was an option, but not a particularly good one. From what she could see they didn’t have any lookouts above them, where she so happened to be comfortably positioned. She takes a look at the gap between the stacked containers, and she knows she can make it. It was only six feet each...mostly. She couldn’t tell for all of them, but with a dockyard she could assume at least a little uniformity. 

“Alright, hero time”.

She takes a running start, her combat boots surprisingly making little sound as she moved over the steel surface. She leaps over the darkness in between, not even taking time to look or let doubt seep into her mind. There was no time for that. She couldn’t allow it. 

She sails gracefully through the night air, and her feet land on the opposite container. She keeps going, knowing that she had to be quick if she was going to catch up to Bruce. Her eyes were constantly searching, even as she stealthily moved over the yard. She’d seen a few more guards below her, or rather heard them talking. She didn’t have time for them. She knew Bruce, or at least enough to hazard a guess at what he would do, and she knew he’d be making a beeline for the ship. 

‘The question is, what’s on the ship?’

**_Across the dockyard_ **

“Mhmmpphhh mmm!” the guard tries to scream, but he’s too late. The black gloved hand already covers his mouth, and he’s pulled back into the darkness, just before another guard turns the corner. His timing was good, and he was only getting better. 

A quick chop with the side of his hand to the man’s temple silences any further noises, and the guard slumps to the ground, his rifle clattering away harmlessly. Once again, the hydraulic bracers in his gloves come in handy as he bends the barrel until it’s useless. 

Another gun off the streets.

He didn’t allow himself any joy in that fact. After all, this wasn’t his mission tonight. He looks up and sees the outline of the barely illuminated ship. He looks around quickly, judging his left and his right to both be clear of any guards as the interloping one who would’ve caught him if he was faster, had turned yet another corner.

The twisting, turning maze was only made more easy to traverse with the darkness. He darts out, moving like a shadow between cover, melding to the walls where possible and ducking into corners when they become available. 

He’d already cleared the front gate of the few sentries that had been posted there. They’d been dozing when he found them. At this, he allows a small smile. ‘Falcone should up their pay if their working such long hours’.

He finally reaches an open courtyard of sorts, flanked on all sides. Right before him, was a straight shot to the waterfront and all the guards seemed to be too focused on the incoming vessel to notice. He readies himself, retracting a few batarangs and smoke pellets while surveying the situation. ‘Hmm’.

The crane looked promising. 

If he could grapple up without being noticed, and take out the operator, he could then swoop down on the rest. He would deploy the smoke pellets and activate the thermal imagining in his cowl, allowing him to fight while they were blinded.    
  


The grapple is quickly in his hand, and it shoots up into the night in the same way that Harley’s had. Bruce was much more adept in its usage though, and it showed as he soared up and landed on the platform, his cape splaying out around his shoulders and covering his outline.    
  


He glares at the back of the thug who was standing in the lit cabin, directing the crane’s hoist down into position. The radio crackles to life, giving Bruce the chance to move forward with less fear that he’d be heard. His steps were already soundless, but it helped to have extra assurance.

“Tommy, you moving up there or what? The boss will have your ass if you don’t hurry the fuck up”.

“Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on” the man says into the radio, moving over the controls and further priming the machine, lowering the magnetic enhanced claw. The hydraulics screech with the movement and the man grunts in frustration. 

Bruce opens the door and slips inside, moving up slowly behind the man and standing there.

“What, they never fucking oil this thing?”. Just after saying those words, the man looks up and gasps at the reflection he saw in the mirror. He trembles in fear, giving Bruce just enough time to act while he tries to turn and bring his machine gun to bear. 

He grabs the weapon out of the man’s hands with one arm, while the other wraps about his throat, hoisting him off the ground. “What is this ship carrying?”

His voice was gruff and menacing, and as usual it cowers the man into submission. He just gags and struggles against the vigilante’s grip. “Fuck….fuc...fuck...I...I don’t know!”

“Wrong answer”.

Batman slams him into the console and raises his fist, intending to bring it down forcefully on the man’s cranium. “Alright! Alright...fuck! Falcone...Falcone is being forced to ship in some….I don’t know people. Kids. We don’t know where they go. All we know is that he’s not callin’ the shots. He’s afraid of someone. And if Falcone is afraid of someone, you better be too” the man says, an accusation somehow in his mind.

Bruce finds it in himself to be polite, even to a scumbag human trafficker. “Thanks for the tip”. He follows through and brings his fist down, knocking the man out and leaving his prone body against the controls.

He walks back towards the door, opening it as the radio comes to life once more. “Yo? What’s going on up there? You forget we got a job to do? You touchin’ yourself or something? Get a move on”.

Bruce retracts a few smoke pellets and looks over the railing at the assembled group of thugs. The ship had now docked and a few of the men were eagerly working on tying down the bow lines and securing the vessel. “I think I will” he says to himself, in response to the thug’s orders to “get a move on”.

He chucks the pellets over the side and quickly pulls up the cowls built in respirator before climbing on top of the railing. He hears confusion as the little metallic balls clatter over the pavement below, confusing the men until they explode, sending their thick billowing smoke out to obscure their view. Curses and coughing soon follow, giving Bruce his cue to join in. He jumps off, using the outstretched cape as a break against the wind. It was a short drop, relatively speaking, and he knew the shock absorbers in his boots would mitigate the blow to his legs.

The thugs had no such advantage, and the one Bruce lands on had no chance. His rifle clatters away, and he falls to the ground, breaking the man’s fall. Batman is quick though, moving onto the next threat as soon as the first is down. This thug was trying desperately to get a grip on the situation, obviously having more combat awareness than the previous one. 

He falls just as quickly however, a swift uppercut to the jaw being more than enough to take him out of the fight. He falls, and Bruce picks up his rifle, swinging the stock outwards the crack yet another mobster who had thought to sneak up on him across the face. Grabbing the man, he lifts him and throws him, taking yet another two out as they advanced.

He wouldn’t admit it, at least not to anyone but himself and Alfred, but he loved this. The fight, the thrill, the adrenaline. The feeling of being able to do anything. It was exhilarating. Coming out on top of every encounter also seriously boosted his ego. He didn’t feel like that scared little boy, not at this moment. No. Now? He felt like the most powerful force in Gotham.

He couldn’t see any more of the mobsters in his sight, but he sensed a presence behind him, and he turns, eager to meet the threat head on. His fist already raised, he was primed and ready, thrusting himself forward to meet the attacker. A weapon of vengeance and justice. A warrior for Gotham. A….a dark knight.

He was somewhat surprised when the trajectory of his fist is stopped in midair, and the pain also shocks him. Something his his midsection, right at in the side of his abdomen, knocking the air out of him for a moment as the lighter armor is pushed tightly into his body. Something sweeps out and knocks him off balance, sending him to the ground.

“Well….it appears we finally get to meet...Batman”.

The voice was sinister, and Bruce wasn’t able to place it immediately. His powers of deduction were also hindered by the fact that whoever it was now had their foot on his chest. It was pressing down with a power he could have scarcely imagined, and he gasps for breath, reaching up to grab the ankle. “Pardon if that hurts”.

He looks up, studying his assailant just as the gas begins to clear. What he sees, shocks him, and gives him a taste of perhaps what he’d put criminals he’d faced himself through. It surprised him a little bit that it was a woman, judging by her curves. That wasn’t what interested him. It was her mask. The wide lenses hiding her eyes, her face covered in black cloth. The daggers and other assorted weapons that hung about her were quite menacing as well. 

She made him think of the nursery rhyme as a child and a cold chill ran right through his heart. 

_ They’ll send the Talon for your head. _

‘No, no...they’re a myth’ he thinks, lacking the conviction in his heart as the woman turns her head and nods. He’s able to see who she’s nodding too. Out of the shadows, others dressed like her emerge, each wielding sinister looking weapons and masks. Up above, another one exits from the cab of the crane, the limp body of the man he’d knocked out in his hands. With seeming ease he lifts him and slits his throat, letting the blood spatter down onto the pavement as the man awakens just in time to die, grasping his opened throat.

“NOO!” Bruce gasps, fighting against the woman’s strength.

The body is thrown over the side, and it flails through the air before landing with a sickening crunch against the pavement. “He was scum” the woman says, her tone neutral and somewhat...calming. He didn’t know how that was, but he knew that whatever this was, he needed to get out of it. 

The other man moves back into the crane, and the machine whirls to life again, moving over the cargo ship. Its claw was focused on the solitary shipping container on the deck. “I find that funny” the woman continues, distracting Batman for a moment. He increases the grip on her ankle, trying to move her off, but she won’t budge. Like she was made of stone.

“He and everyone else on this dock is human scum” she explains. “Trafficking children...to us of course. Our reasons are noble, but they didn’t know that. They wouldn’t have cared if we were raping them and using them in sacrifices. Just as long as they got paid. Scum Batman. Yet...you didn’t kill them”.

“I don’t...kill” he spits back, thankful for the air he could take in as the woman slightly relaxes her hold on him. He knew that any sign of resistance from him would bring the pressure right back. “Noble, but fruitless. You have been active in Gotham for a short time. I won’t deny that you’ve made a difference. But how fleeting it is” she explains, a wry chuckle on her lips. 

She quirks her head and if she wasn’t wearing the mask he’d get an impression that she was smiling down at him. “You could be so much to this city Batman. So much to the Court of Owls”.

That confirmed his suspicion. Either the rhyme was true, and there was a secret society that had always operated in Gotham, or someone was using their name and image. Either way, they were going down.    
  


The crane begins to offload the shipping container and bring it to the dock, swinging it out gently and placing it on the dock. Two more of what he could only assume were the feared Talon’s of the court advance and open the door, pulling the metal locks off and allowing some light into the container. They move onto their knees, coaxing whoever was inside out. 

“Children?” he asks, suddenly, remembering her words from before. He was wondering why she was being so candid with him. Whoever she was under the mask, she didn’t seem to care that valuable information was being laid bare before him. Either she was cocky and sure he wouldn’t survive this...or...there was another angle.

“Yes” she says. “The forgotten. The abandoned. The unloved. We find them, and bring them to us. Make them more than they could’ve ever dreamed of being. Of course there is sacrifice. They have to give in return, but….they are safe with us”.

He glares up at her, turning to watch as ragged looking children are led out, taking the hands of the men and women in the dark horrifying suits. Still, a calming presence was cast over them, and they were just happy to be out of the container.

“What do you do with them?”   
  


“We make them like us” she says. “The Court gives them everything and thus, they must return that in equal measure. Their lives, their service, their protection. The same thing happened to me many years ago and I have lived a much better life than I could have ever imagined”. She suddenly removes her foot and steps back, allowing Bruce to scurry to his feet. He was on unsure footing though, and he was still feeling the effects of the swift but effective beating he’d taken.

She knew all the right places to hit. Weak spots in his armor. His vulnerabilities.

He was about to assume a fighting stance, but sees that she remains at peace. Calm. Serene even as she surveys him. He lets his fists drop, only for a moment. The fight could easily be back on at any second, but for the moment, he needed answers. “Why didn’t you kill me?”

Her response seemed to be long in coming, and stunted, as if she was afraid to reveal something. It was at odds with her up until now exhibited candor. “Because you’re special…”.

He feels his eyes narrow, not liking the though of the Court, whatever it was, deeming him “special”.

He doesn’t acknowledge the softness she speaks the words with, nor their inner meaning. “I won’t let you take the children” he says, quickly drawing a batarang out of his belt. The woman seems unmoved, and instead she moves softly forward, placing her hand on his chest. He’s taken aback, but doesn’t know what to do. “Then come with us”.

He grasps her hand and pushes her back, though she doesn’t allow him to move her far. She rushes forward and grabs his wrist, the two beginning to struggle against one another. She seems to be holding back, which was something else of note to Bruce. He was strong. He’d trained his body to the peak of human perfection, but he was still at odds to matching against this...Talon.

The reason was obvious. Whatever had been done to her had somehow enhanced her body and her strength, and he couldn’t prevail, not when she knew his weaknesses and she was still an unknown quality to him. 

He makes to throw a punch, something the woman instantly dodges. She brings up her knee and savagely brings it into his stomach. His pain and distraction allows her a chance to slip around him and twist his arm, bringing him once more to his knees. She keeps him pinned by wrapping her arm around his throat, a knife pulled to press into his side.

“I don’t want to hurt you” she says, a strange almost pleading tone in it that suggested she really didn’t wish to do so. Bruce struggled in vain, feeling pain shoot out all over his body. ‘Funny way of showing it’, he thinks, remaining silent.

“You’re already so strong. And skilled. If I had been a normal woman, unblessed by the Court, or even one of these fools you went through like butter, you’d have already won”, she says without a trace of ego. “But, as it stands now? You can’t realistically beat us. We were all made perfect by the court. You can be too. Free of your imperfections and your weak moral code. In fact...I want you too”.

He remains silent, allowing the woman to keep talking. There was a strange affection she had in her voice, and it was for him. This sent numerous other questions racing through his mind. Did she know him? Did he know her? 

“Who...who are you?”

“Someone that cares very deeply for you” she says, using the hand that was closest to his cheek to gently rub his face through the mask.

“Hey! Hands off!”

The shout from the distance distracts both of them, and a batarang comes sailing through the darkness, piercing into the woman’s hand and forcing her to drop the knife. She howls in pain, bringing up her wounded appendage to inspect it. But this gives Bruce the chance he was looking for. He brings his head forward and then back, slamming it with as much force as he could muster into the woman’s face, sending her sprawling back and off of him. 

He jumps up, using her further distraction as she holds her broken nose to check for who could have possibly helped him. The voice was familiar. Very familiar. 

He has his answer soon enough, as Harley, dressed up in a makeshift bat suit, jumps down from one of the shipping containers above. She is able to roll in mid air, grasping onto the ladder of the crane before jumping yet again and landing, catlike, on the ground. He looks at her, completely shocked, and he can see her light teasing smile. “Thought you could use a hand” she teases, walking up to the man and standing beside him.

Before he can say anything further, she gestures with a nod of her chin in front of her, drawing his attention to the Talons which were now assembling around their wounded leader. There was no time to fight, not with Harley. He’d handle this later. Still, he couldn’t help but admire how she looked. The cowl suited her, despite being handmade. She’d even made the pointed bat ears. The dark motorcycle one piece suit was unarmored, which gave him cause for concern. Her utility belt was...packed with his items?   
  


It suddenly occurred to him that he’d never actually stored the tools he used in his crusade carefully, and now he was regretting it. ‘Never thought anyone would be in the damn cave besides me’ he growls mentally. 

He refocuses and assumes a fighting stance beside the blonde haired woman, glaring the Talons down. He hoped that she’d be able to fight.

“Kill the bitch!” the woman snarls, getting to her feet. “But leave Batman alive. He’s coming with us”.

“Just try it ugly” Harley shouts, rushing ahead and sliding down to the ground, just as a Talon reaches out for her, swinging a knife haphazardly in his hand. He’s shocked when the blonde is no longer there, meeting only empty space. Soon, he’s falling through the air onto his back, Harley having pulled the same maneuver that the female Talon had. She moves up onto her feet again, smirking down at the prone man.

“Look out!” Bruce shouts, moving ahead and throwing a punch into another Talon’s face, stopping his attack on Harley. The blonde just turns in time to catch a mean right hook to cheek from the other woman, apparently now fixated on her.

Harley falls to the ground, breathing heavily on her knees. 

  
“Who the hell are you?” the Talon seethes, seeming to be angry just at the mere existence of the blonde. “Batwoman” Harley huffs back, knowing that the woman was off balance now thanks to Bruce. She could also sense that something was picking at her mind. 

The woman was unstable. She knew it. The voice, inflection and tone, all followed up by her calm and collectedness? She was a perfectionist, and her plan had gone awry. Harley knew she couldn’t beat her physically, but mentally? Maybe that could open up some doors.

She smirks up at the woman, watching her advance. “I’ve been watching you from the moment you got here” she lied. “Just waiting for the right moment to strike”.

“Is that so?” the woman asks, the knife gleaming menacingly in her hand.

Harley pushed down her worry, watching in the background as Bruce managed to smack a Talon in the face with a discarded two by four. It was clear that they couldn’t win this fight, no matter how much of a good showing they put up. Bruce was going to be overwhelmed soon, and they needed to do something. 

Luckily, Harley had thought ahead and enlisted some unlikely backup. 

The sound of sirens echoes in the background, a whole mass of vehicles moving in on the dockyard. Police were on the way. ‘Woah, only expected at max like two cop cars, not the whole GCPD’ she thinks, turning back to the woman who looked up and cursed under her breath. 

Now was Harley’s chance. 

She jumps up and grasps the woman’s arm, twisting it roughly and abruptly to force her to drop the knife. A sickening crunch can be heard as the woman’s radius is snapped, leaving her arm useless. She hows in pain and uses her left arm to punch out at Harley, breaking the woman’s nose in much the same way as her own had been broke. Harley is thrown back onto the ground, pain wracking her entire body. 

‘Oh fuck...didn’t...didn’t see that coming. Smooth Quinzel, smooth’.

Harley had done more good than she realized though. The Talons had been thrown into disarray with Batman’s suicidal charge, and with the advent of the sirens, the children, whom had all stayed behind near the container, scattered with the sound of the police sirens. 

The Talons now regrouped, surveying the battleground as the sirens move closer. Bruce was now also heavily wounded, sporting numerous gashes and cuts. He had gotten the worst out of the exchange he had with the three Talons, though the three were trying to tend a wounded fourth. He moves back towards Harley, putting himself in front of her and drawing two batarangs from his belt.

The foremost Talon snarls and makes to attack once more before being called off by their wounded leader. “No! Don’t. We can’t risk capture”.

“But the children! They’ve escaped..”

“We shall find them” she snarls back, gaining the man’s acquiescence. She looks back at Bruce and Harley, the blonde now making her way off the ground and back onto her feet. “I will be back for you...beloved” she says to him, turning and moving off into the dark, still holding her broken arm like she hadn’t a care in the world. The other Talons follow, disappearing into the darkness of the dockyard. 

If he hadn’t been so wounded, and Harley wasn’t there, he would have pursued them, but as things stood?

He turned to Harley and couldn’t help but glare. “What are you doing here?” he asks, wincing as he steps forward, a particularly deep cut on his side. Harley moves forward and takes his arm, moving it over her shoulders to support him. “Doesn’t matter. I’m glad I was. Yell at me later” she says, beginning to move them through the yard, knowing that the police would soon be there. 

“Wait!” Bruce says, stopping as his eyes land on something. A face was peaking around the corner, a young boy. Apparently he had been inside the shipping container. Bruce hadn’t been able to give much thought to the children, especially in the ensuing melee, but now, they were all that was on his mind. The boy was wearing ragged clothing, and looked beyond filthy. He had dark hair, and blue eyes. In many ways...he reminded him of himself. “Are you okay?” he calls out.

The boy doesn’t respond, and simply takes off running disappearing into the darkness. Bruce makes to extricate himself from her arms and manages to make it a few steps before wincing in pain, trying to support himself against a wall.

Harley is on him once more. “I want to help him too Batman, but we need to get out of here. The police will get him, and he’ll get help. If not, we’re going to be back on the streets soon. We’ll find them”. 

He looks at the woman before closing his eyes and shaking his head. He would have to deal with the “we’re” part of that sentence soon. She was right though. He couldn’t go after the boy. Not now. 

“How did you get here?” he asks.

“Batcycle”.

“I’ll meet you back at the cave” he says, beginning to move towards where he parked the batmobile. “We’ll talk there”. He turns and moves away, his cape obscuring his movements. She winced at the anger in his voice, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. ‘Come on Harleen, of course he’s mad. Did you expect him to be completely happy that you just helped yourself to his stuff and joined him?’ 

She huffs to herself, realizing that her plan had been half baked from the start. She’d gone off half cocked and unready. Still...she had saved Bruce’s life, or at least liked to think that she helped him. She knew that she couldn’t stop doing this now. The feeling of fighting beside Bruce? It was better than anything else she’d experienced. She was sad about not being able to help the kids any more than giving them a chance to get away, but that was something else that was going to keep her in the suit.

She was going to save Gotham or die trying. Gotham was Bruce’s in many ways. His family had built it with their blood, sweat and tears. 

What better way to show the man she loved how she felt than to protect his legacy?

It was with this thought that she moved back through the dockyards, making her own way to her bike, ‘yes my bike’ she thinks possessively, which she hoped was well hidden from prying eyes.

All in all? It was an okay start for Batwoman.

**_Outside the Main Gate_ **

“Montoya, I want a perimeter. If that tip pans out, we’ll have Falcone dead to rights here” Gordon calls out, directing the massive police presence that was no fanning out amongst the entrance, ready to sweep the grounds.

“Woah, hold on Lieutenant...we got a problem” the woman calls out, moving out of the gate and back towards the car. Beside her was a little girl, shivering and cold. 

“Ohh God” Gordon says, moving forward towards the officer, letting the others move through. “What happened?”

“Her names Alice. She’s a little scared” Montoya says, urging the man try and comfort the girl. Jim gets the hint and moves onto his knees, placing a hand on the little girl’s shoulder and smiling. “Hi Alice. You okay sweetie?” he asks. She just looks up at him, a tearful expression on her face that breaks the man. He looks up at Montoya, who nods sadly. “Yeah, she said theres more. All scattered throughout the dockyards. We’ve got some of them already, but they’re all scared. Some are hiding”.

Jim nods and stands, looking around at the other officers. “I want this place scoured until we find every one of these kids. You here?” he says, gaining an assent before refocusing his attention back on the girl.

“Hey sweetie. Do you like hot chocolate?” he asks, confusion etching onto the little girl’s face. “I have a daughter about your age. She loves hot chocolate. I have some in my thermos. We can give you some if you want”.

The little girl is silent, looking back up at Montoya who urges her forward with a smile. Jim reaches out his hand, waiting for the little girl to take it if she wanted to. Slowly..she does, and he begins to lead her back to the car. 

Little did either of the officers know, they were being watched. The same boy who had run from Batman and Harley, was creeping around the corner, his eyes focused on a hole in the fence that would hopefully lead to freedom. He is able to squeeze through, just in time to avoid a passing patrol car in the street. The alley is his next objective, and getting to it was even easier. 

The police were going to be busy, first rounding up the children and then moving onto the scene by the docks. Hopefully, they’d stay that way.

Jason was on his own, as usual. He knew he could only trust himself, and he knew one thing about Gotham cops. You were better off trusting the mob. 

He didn’t know where he was going, or what he was going to do when he got there, but he did know he would do it alone. Like he was used to.

**_The Batcave_ **

“There master Bruce. You should be right as rain to give me yet another reason to worry on the morrow” Alfred teases, placing a bloodied bandage on the tray along with all the other medical detritus he had set aside for disposal. 

“Thank you Alfred”.

Bruce moves off of the examining table, wincing from the wound in his side. He stops for a moment, and steadies himself before turning to Alfred and looking at him accusingly. The atmosphere in the cave had been icy ever since the two had returned, and it was just now going to get broken.

“Why did you let her out of the cave?”

The accusation stung, and Alfred wouldn’t let it stand. “I apologize master Bruce. I couldn’t watch her every second she was in here. May I remind you that it was YOU who let her in here in the first place?”

Bruce makes to object but feels himself deflate and he shakes his head. “You’re right. It was a mistake”.

Alfred softens, knowing that the man was going through many things, particularly at this moment. He reaches out and pats his shoulder. “Perhaps not” he explains, gaining the man’s attention. “This might sound insane, but...I have to ask if it would be any more insane than allowing you to do what you do” he says, smiling to himself. “Mrs. Quinzel proved herself quite an asset tonight. She was able to trick me, which as you know is not something many are able to do, even you, and assisted you. Possibly even saved your life tonight in all honesty Bruce”.

The man’s words were heavy and weighing on Bruce. He knew they were true. Harley had saved his life tonight, and for that, he was thankful. “I won’t let her join this crusade Alfred. She’ll die and it’ll be my fault”.

“And are you so sure you won’t die Master Bruce?”

“That’s different” Bruce defends. “That’s my choice. This is my mission. I have to do it alone”.

“Ahh I see” Alfred begins nodding. He places the tray back down and looks steadily at the man. “I sometimes wonder if you see the hopelessness creeping in for everyone else” he begins. “If you don’t realize that others may very bloody well want to see this city change. I think you’re forgetting the good in people. Seeing them all as criminals or apathetic. You’re already forgetting that Mrs. Quinzel is a good woman. One I seem to believe you’ve grown very fond of”. 

Bruce doesn’t know what to say and stays silent, allowing the man to finish, knowing that his recommendation would make sense. “Go and speak to her. See what she wants. I think you’ve found a kindred spirit. If you can dissuade her and want to, then do it. But if you can’t...well...letting her go out there alone, as she undoubtedly will if she’s anything like you, won’t be very responsible”.

Alfred turns, picking up the tray once more and moving towards the stairs. As an aside he turns and looks at the man. “Ohh, I shall warm up the meatloaf Mrs. Quinzel requested. Undoubtedly you two are hungry and as...simple as the fare is, I’m sure it’ll do. Also, I’ve ordered a few safes and other such containers for you to store your equipment more...safely”. 

Bruce groans, still smarting over how stupid he’d been to leave his gear out for Harley to take so easily. “Are you mad at her? For tricking you I mean”.

Alfred continues walking but shouts back. “Of course not. She did it to save you after all. She reminds me much of your mother”. The words settle on Bruce’s heart, and though he knew they’d just been a side observation to the older man, he couldn’t help but feel that they were important. 

He sighs and looks over at the raised platform that housed the batmobile and now the batcycle. Harley was standing next to the car, admiring it. She was wearing only a pair of sweat pants and a sports bra, and even covered in bandages from the cuts and bruises, she cut an attractive figure. A small splint was on her nose as well, something that Alfred had done to secure it while he treated her. 

She wasn’t paying any mind to him at the moment, and he knew it was because she thought he was mad at her. He couldn’t be. Not anymore. 

He walks up behind her and smiles, finding themselves to be a good match all bandaged up as they were. His smile drops, knowing that the conversation they had to have was going to be tense. “Harley” he begins, watching as she straightens up and her back stiffens.

“I won’t apologize Bruce”.

He looks away and says, “I know. You don’t have to. In fact, I should thank you. You helped me greatly tonight”.

Harley turns and looks at him up and down, admiring him even in his battered shape. “I can’t allow you to continue though” he adds, shocking her. “I need to do this alone. You’re not trained for this”.

“Uhh excuse me buster, but those things were knocking you around easily. Like you said, if it wasn’t for me…”

“Which is only further proof of how dangerous this is Harley. I trained years for this and I wasn’t able to take them on” he says, moving forward and gripping her arms, trying to make her understand through shear force of will. “I’m not a delicate china doll Bruce. I know things myself. I’m a twelve year gymnast, a black belt, and I know a bit of krav manga. Also, my experience with the human mind? Duh. I’m your perfect partner” she says with a smile, the gravity of the situation not falling on her.

“Harley this isn’t a game!” he snaps, regretting it instantly as her smile falls away. She moves out of his grip and turns her back on him. “You think I don’t know that?” she fumes.

“I know better than anyone that life isn’t a game okay? I see it everyday” she begins, obviously having held this back for a while. “I go to work every day and I see how hopeless it is. How everyone is just abandoned. I try to smile, make it better, but there is only so much I can do. I can only help heal the mind. Not do it all myself. It’s not a motor I can fix like a mechanic. It’s complex. And Gotham? She’s an utter bitch”.

She turns and looks. “Everywhere I go, there’s a mayor Hill or a Quincy Sharpe stepping on someone. Making it even worse. Helping them out? Mobsters and thugs. I don’t even know why I’m still here. Maybe because I’m a glutton for punishment, and maybe...maybe because of you. This is your fault Bruce!” she says, advancing on him.

“What? How the hell is this…”

“All my life! All my life, I’ve been powerless. My sister...I…..I watched her slowly die before she left this world. My scumbag father, the bullying, the loneliness. I’m not getting into it. I don’t want to give you my sob story when yours is worse” she says, tears leaking out of her eyes as she looks away. “And it’s not just me. It’s everyone. Jerry, Doyle, Pamela and Derrick. Everyone has a sad story. I tried to smile through it all. I went to Arkham to try and make a name for myself, hoping that if I made a big enough difference, maybe, just maybe I could be proud of myself. That was my big goal. Stupid I know but...it’s what I got. And then you come, with your...your caringness and your friendliness. It was like...Gotham didn’t change you”.

Her breath comes out slowly as she looks at him, biting her lip to showcase her uncertainty of going on. “You are the first good man I’ve met in a long time Bruce. I misspoke. Gotham did change you, I mean, how can this be considered not changing you?” she asks, gesturing around at the cave. “But it didn’t break you. I found you when I was barely holding it together. If...If I hadn’t? I don’t know what might’ve happened to me. But there you were...holding Harleen Quinzel together just by being Bruce Wayne”.

She reaches out and rubs his chest, sighing to herself and smiling. “I fell in love with you instantly. Pretty hard” she admits almost in a blase manner. Bruce goes stiff, not knowing what to say at that moment. She looks up at him and smiles, moving closer to him. She seemed to radiate heat, though it was like a fire on a cold winter night. He needed to be near her. She had him caught once again.

“Tonight? Beside you? It felt like...for the first time in my life, I wasn’t powerless, being tossed around on the waves of fate. I wasn’t being looked at like I didn’t deserve to be there like at Arkham. I wasn’t weak. Sure, I got my ass kicked but I gave it pretty good too didn’t I?”

Bruce nods. “You did” he admits.

“I’m not giving that up Bruce. You, me? It feels right. Right and natural. Call me crazy, and you’re right. I’m an expert on crazy. It’s crazy of both of us to go jumping off buildings into the night and fighting criminals and I guess now secret societies? What’s up with that, crazy” she says, going off on a tangent before remembering what they were supposed to be talking about and bringing herself back in.

“But yeah, no. You’re not dissuading me Bruce. I need this...I need you”. 

The last part was said breathily, and Bruce could feel the emotional power behind it. He didn’t know what to think. Part of him wanted to push her away, retreat into the darkness and forget he ever knew her. But another part...that part of him that still burned for human contact, urged him to reach out and take her in his arms. Hold her close. Be with her. He didn’t have to do this alone.

That part won out, and he reaches out for her waist, rubbing up and down her sides gently to avoid hurting her by squeezing her bruises. “You need training” he begins cautiously. She lights up like a Christmas tree and smiles at him, nodding along. “I’ll train you in what you need to know. I won’t go easy on you” he warns. “The criminals out there won’t so I refuse to in here. I want you as prepared as possible”.

“Promise to kiss my booboos after and you’ve got a deal Bats” she says, leaning up and closing her eyes, slightly opening her lips. She was offering herself to him, desperately hoping that he’d take her and offer himself in return. Slowly he moves in, and it’s like the worlds collide when his lips press against hers. She leans up even more, deepening the kiss. Both wince in pain as the other’s hands land on a sore spot, but neither care much. They were too focused on one another, and the feeling of not being alone for once.

When they separate Bruce looks down at her and brings his hand up to her cheek, pressing his thumb over her full lips. She smiles and brings her hand up to his wrist, wrapping around it and nuzzling into him. “I’m also going to redesign your suit” he says, still able to think about business at the moment. “I’d like that”.

“Any demands there” he asks.

“Hmm..yeah. I want my butt to look good in it, and I want a cape” she teases. “Both pretty easily accomplished” he says causing her to coo in appreciation. “Bruce...if I wasn’t so sore already, I’d throw you on the bed down here and make you see stars but...for tonight...I’m out of commission”.

“Me too” Bruce agrees, knowing that to be a fact.

“How about we shower, and then cuddle? I think a nice bat cuddle sounds good”.

“Are you just going to put bat in front of everything from now on?” he asks, causing her to “hmm” in thought. “Maybe. It sounds cute. Bat fork. Bat bed. Bat cuddles. Bat…” her words are muffled by another kiss, this one much longer and yet still gently. He was gentle with her. As always. There were still issues to work out. John Doe, the Court of Owls, the corruption of Gotham city. But they’d soon get to those. 

Right now? They needed to rest. Harley was on top of the world though. She was Batwoman after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**_One Week Later, Downtown Gotham, Campaign Headquarters of Harvey Dent_ **

“And that is why I’m announcing my candidacy for Mayor of Gotham city, under the Republican party ticket”.

He didn’t want to admit it, trying his hardest to suppress his ego at this moment, but he thoroughly enjoyed the applause that rang out. He knew it wasn’t because he was so well liked necessarily. Maybe some of the people in the crowd liked him or his planned policies. But he knew in reality that he was just more liked than Mayor Hill. 

He’d vowed to come down as hard on crime as mayor as he did as a DA, and he made sure to emphasize the fact that organized crime was what he was going to go after first. The crowd went wild on that. In Gotham city, a tough on crime stance was bound to go over well.

“As mayor, I promise to always tell it like it is. A lot of decisions I’m going to have to make are going to be unpopular. Some of you may even hate me after. That’s okay. Hate me, but at the end of the day, I want you to know that Harvey Dent is a man of his word. I’m not going to promise you the world and then deliver a ham sandwich. No. In fact, all I’m telling you now is that I’m going to fight. I’m going to fight because this city, YOU, deserve someone’s whose willing to fight for it!”

This brings out even more cheers, the crowd becoming more and more energized. “I’d like to thank someone today though. Someone important. It’s funny you know, the effect that people you bump into one minute and not see for a while the next can have on you. A Doctor Harleen Quinzel is one of those people. She’s the one who urged me on to this. Harleen Quinzel, probably one of the best this city can offer us. She’s on the run now. Not because she’s a criminal, but because she’s a good person who has happened to run afoul of an escaped Arkham inmate. And what have our illustrious police force done to protect her? Nothing. In fact, they just escorted her off the premises of HER job as a doctor at Arkham”.

Boos and jeers echo out amongst the crowd, but he only cared about making his point at the moment. “She was treated like a criminal, and left to rot. If I’m honest, I think it’s for the crime of going against the status quo. Of trying to actually cure patients at Arkham. Well, under a Dent administration, criminals won’t have a revolving door to my office, but citizens like Harleen? They will. If you’re out there Ms. Quinzel, know this. The good people of Gotham stand with you”.

Harvey’s eyes flick over the crowd and land on a familiar face. A very familiar one. Every single person in Gotham knew that face and despised it for what it represented. “Ahh, we have a not so illustrious guest in our audience tonight. Gotham’s major parasite. Carmine Falcone”.

All eyes turn inward, landing on the man whom Harvey was pointing out. The older mobster seems to shrink into himself, not having expected that this upstart mayoral candidate would ever have the gall to actually point him out. Sure, he’d make oblique references here and there, but to actually point a finger? At him? Unthinkable. 

His two guards, flanking him on either side seem to squirm in discomfort, not knowing what to do in the now volatile situation. Members of the audience seem to get ideas, all angrily closing around him until Harvey speaks out again. “No, no. Don’t play the game his way” he calls out, seeming to enrapture the crowd in his words once more. “Don’t play the game of violence. Don’t let him turn you into the bad guys. You see, this paper tiger? He only operates the way he does because big boys at the top protect you” he calls out.

“That’s right Falcone. You trash. Without Loeb and Hill, what even are you? A two bit thug, that’s who you are. You can send a bullet after me tonight if you want. That doesn’t change a thing. These people? They see you. And they’re tired of having to fear you. I have one final message to Gotham” he calls out, the crowd focusing and hanging on each word with bated breath. “Falcone’s time? It’s numbered. Defeat him at the ballot box and let’s clean up Gotham together!”

The crowd cheers out once more, cameras flash and Harvey gives a reserved smile for a photo op before moving into the crowd, wanting to engage with the people more so than the media. He was more comfortable in these settings. He wasn’t afraid. He needed to show Gotham that they didn’t need to be either.

Carmine Falcone was the exact opposite. He hated crowds. He hated even mixing with the common people he fleeced every day. Showing up had completely backfired. “Vito, Tommy” he snaps out, pushing, or rather trying to push through the crowd. They weren’t giving. Not like they used to. 

Now? They glared at him. Some even had the audacity to spit. None of them made the move to violence though. Just as Harvey told them, they planned to beat him at the ballot box. ‘Fucking Hill and his bullshit’.

Indeed it had been the incumbent mayor who suggested he come today, thinking that his appearance would strike enough fear into his opponent that he would either suspend his campaign completely or tone down his rhetoric to a point where his base would be nowhere near as energized as it was at the moment. 

It didn’t work. 

“Dammit” he says aloud, finally making it to the curve and getting into his car. “Drive” he orders the man in the front seat gruffly, barely waiting for his two body guards to get in before taking off. He’d gotten the guards as a precaution, having learned his lesson following the ambush by the Talon that left his driver dead. Carmine had never had a more secure position in Gotham. With Bertinelli dead, he was the last man standing, but that had only created more problems than it solved.

‘I’m like a goddamn lightning rod now’ he thinks, glaring out of the window. 

Dent, the Court, Batman and now a hot shot police Lieutenant and his pet officer that Loeb couldn’t get under control were riding all working together to try and end him, even if they all acted independently. 

He was on shaky ground, and he knew it. “I have to call Hill” he says aloud, mentally grumbling at Dent’s words. ‘Have to run to that cocksucker to solve my problems now. Just like Dent said’.

He knew help probably wouldn’t be forthcoming. The polls didn’t look good. Not for him anyway. ‘Dammit! Can’t anything go right in this fucking city?!’

**_The Batcave_ **

“Hyeah!” 

Bruce manages to duck, just in time for Harley’s foot to go sailing past his ear. He couldn’t help the smile that graces his face while he reaches up and grasps her ankle, knocking her off balance while he holds her there.

  
She was good, already having an almost perfect understanding of the basics. But he still had the edge. Or so he thought. 

Harley just smiles, twisting about and leaping with the force of her free leg, moving in such a way that he was forced to release her leg. He tries to counter her movement, but fails, her being a little too quick for him. She turns her arms and places her hands on his shoulders, hoisting herself up into the air and pushing him down to his knees. She twists back down, seated practically on his shoulders, lightly squashing his head between her thighs. “You know, some guys have this as a kink” she teases.

“Who says I don’t?” Bruce chokes out, grasping her by the mid section and pulling her off of him, throwing her to the mat. “Ohhh...dirty mind AND dirty trick Bruce” she teases coquettishly, looking up at him while laying on her side, posing seductively. 

“All is fair in love and war”.

He makes to move closer, wanting to offer her a hand up. Just when he reaches down, she sweeps her leg outwards, taking him right off balance and sending him careening to the floor. Luckily, they were on soft mats. He just grunts, not having expected that at all. It was a lesson he had yet to learn with the blonde haired woman. Expect the unex….

“Hiya”.

She was now right atop him, straddling his waist and resting her chin on her crossed arms which lay on his chest. She was looking directly at him, her blue eyes penetrating his own with her open and honest gaze. “Hello” he says back, his hands coming up to her waist. “Dirty trick” he adds.

“All is fair in love and war puddin”.

He arches an eyebrow at her, having been a little surprised by the term of endearment that had come out of the woman’s lips. “Puddin?” he asks.

She blushes and bites her lips, looking away for a moment. “Sorry, I guess it just kind of came out. I get a little tired of calling you Bruce, Brucey or Bman” she admits. “If you don’t like it…”

“No, no it’s fine. It’s actually..well...kind of cute I guess”. 

She beams at him, as usual being very easy to please. “Soooooo….how did I do puddin?” she asks, doubling down on trying out the nickname she had for the man. 

“Very well” Bruce says, trying to remain businesslike while the woman was atop him. “Your reflexes are above normal. Your blows land with enough force. You’re quick to recover and you have become quite proficient with my gadgets”.

“Proficient with your gadgets? Ohh that sounds naughty Bruce” she chuckles, the two blushing at the unintended innuendo. Both had wanted to take it slow, content to wait until the right moment, but they were sure that it was coming, and soon. “Bruce...am I ready?”

She reaches out and places her hand on his face, rubbing gently. “I want to be. To go out there with you. Face down the biggest and baddest Gotham has. Just tell me I am. Please?”

Bruce is quiet for a moment, not sure of what to tell the woman. On one hand, she was skilled. Beyond skilled. Gifted might be a good word to use. The past week of training had only really been focusing on refining a few of her weak spots, which she took to like a fish and water.

But...he was afraid. Afraid of losing someone who was special to him once again. Afraid of having to see her hurt. He didn’t know what to do. Luckily, his answer is delayed by the arrival of Alfred, who was carrying a large briefcase with which he was obviously having some difficulty. “Master Bruce, Ms. Quinzel, may I….ohhh. Pardon me” the British gentleman says, once again having caught them in a compromising situation.

Harley is quick to move off of Bruce, blushing herself. Ever since their first encounter, she had apologized profusely to Alfred for tricking and embarrassing him, and the two had formed a quick and easy rapport. Harley was always rushing off to assist Alfred, especially since taking up a temporary residency in the batcave.

“Afred let me get that please!” she shouts, rushing over to the man and taking the briefcase which apparently did have some weight to it as Harley let out a huff of breath while trying to carry it over to a table. 

“Ohh Ms. Quinzel please...allow me…” Alfred says, attempting to move after the much quicker and more spry woman. “No, no! Let...ooof what’s in here rocks?, me”.

Bruce sits up and moves over to the duo, knowing what was in the briefcase already. He’d been expecting it for a while now, and he knew that Lucius Fox would once again come through for him like he always did. 

He stands, grabbing two towels and advances on the table. He hands one to Harley who quickly wipes the sweat off of her face, and then drapes the rolled up towel over her shoulders. “Bruce...what is it?”

He looks back at Harley, scrutinizing her features and trying to read her eyes. She smiles lightly at him, and suddenly, he feels as if he has his answer to if she was ready or not. He turns the suitcase and opens it, stepping to the side to allow Harley to see the contents for herself. She moves forward, a questioning look in her eyes while moving in front of the suitcase.

“It’s yours Harley”.

She doesn’t know what to say at the moment, so instead she looks into the box, gasping at its contents. She reaches down and clenches her fingers around the first item contained within, pulling it from the foam wrapping that kept it in place. “Bruce…” she says, hoisting the cowl up into the air for her and the others to admire. It was just like Bruce’s, though slimmer and more accommodating of her hair, which would apparently go through a slit in the back of the headpiece. The ears were pointed and the eyes had two multiple alternating lens pieces, allowing her to see across multiple spectrums. She turns it in her hand, inspecting it and smiling ear to ear. 

She sets it down on the table, and Bruce begins speaking, trying to fill the air with something as Harley moves on like a kid on Christmas.

“The cowl is made of a combat tested polymer. Just like mine. Though it is lighter to allower for greater mobility and to play to your advantages” he begins while Harley slowly retracts the suit. She stares at it in shock, her eyes moving to the bat symbol emblazoned across the chest. It was molded perfectly to her body. She could already tell. “The suit is made of the same material, though once again, more suited to your body type and combat style. Flexible plating” he says, reaching out to the midsection of the suit and lightly bending one of the faux abs. “Light, but it’ll stop a bullet. Trust me. I know”.

This last sentence is delivered with a smirk, which is returned with a glare by both Alfred AND Harley. “Not funny Bruce” she says, not liking how the man could be so flippant with his own life. He shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest and continuing to watch her. “Everyone is a critic” he says.

Harley goes right back to staring at the bat symbol, her fingers tracing over it. It was a mix of her usual red, with black tints around the edges. ‘This is it’ she thinks. ‘This is Bruce’s legacy. And he’s trusting me with it’.

“To answer your question Harley” he begins, moving over to the display case that contained his own bat suit, retrieving it while looking over his shoulder. “You’re ready. Suit up. We’re going on patrol”.

The words were simple and short, just the way Bruce liked to keep things when it came to his mission, but Harley understood them perfectly. Without thinking, she rushes over to him, throws her arms around his shoulders and kisses him passionately. He’s shocked for a moment, just barely able to keep his grip on his suit. Soon enough, he returns the kiss, and massages her lips with his own. 

“Ah hem” Alfred interrupts, causing Harley to cease, turning her head to look at the man but not letting her arms leave Bruce. “Sorry Alfred, but you might just have to put up with a little smoochin’ between us from time to time”.

Alfred chuckles to himself, shaking his head. “Very well Ms. Quinzel. If you so insist. I shall have dinner ready when you return. Cold as usual to be warmed up in the microwave. I shall also step out for a moment to allow you to change, but will return to monitor the situation and provide any assistance I can over the radio”.

He moves up the stairs, calling out once more. “Is it still burritos that you wish to eat for dinner tonight Ms. Quinzel?”

“Yes Alfred! If that’s okay” she retorts, their voices echoing throughout the cave.

“Ohh that’s fine. Very well” he says aloud despite the two bat themed vigilantes knowing that the man was anything other than “okay” with making the simple fare. Bruce turns to her and sighs, a smile still on his face. “You’re also taking control of Alfred” he teases.

“What can I say? Guys like blondes”.

“Hmm...suit up Harley”.

She disentangles herself from him and walks back towards the table, slipping out of her sweats and leaving her in her panties for a moment. She takes the pants out first, slipping her legs into them and feeling how the armor and fabric cling to her. “Ohh wow, kind of snug” she says, pulling the hem up to her waist. “Loose means it might get caught on something. We want to limit that” Bruce calls out, getting into his own clothes. Harleen just laughs. “Says the guy with a cape”.

“The cape is to give criminals the impression that we’re larger than we are and not give them as clear a target. A cape is easy to slip out of. Pants are not”.

“Hmm, maybe we’ll give it a try later” she teases, poking her head through the top hole of the shirt, pushing the rest down to her belly and tucking the slight remainder in. “I’ll get your pants off, you get mine. Whoever is faster wins”.

“Ohh? What does the winner get?” Bruce asks, securing his utility belt to his waist, obviously interested in the wager. “The loser...in any way they want them”.

Harley was slipping into the red boots now, enjoying how they felt against her feet. “That sounds good to me” he says. Harley laughs, reaching around to secure the cape she had, smaller than Bruce’s of course but still dark black in color. “Be prepared to be tied to a bed Puddin’. Cause I’m going to win that one”.

She picks up the cowl and takes a deep breath, placing it over her head and securing it over her neck. Her body was now completely clothed and covered, except for her hands. She quickly pushes her blonde locks through the open slit and lets her hair fall over her back, contrasting nicely against the darkness. She reaches out for the red gloves, and places them on her hands, wiggling her fingers in them. 

“Wow Bruce...I...I…”

“You’re forgetting one thing” he says, suddenly behind her, his breath impacting against her. She couldn’t help it, proximity to the man being enough to set her heart to beating at ten times the normal speed it felt like. “Ohh yeah? What?”

“Your utility belt”.

He places his chin on her shoulder and looks down, his hands moving to her waist and wrapping said item about her. It was, once again, red, fitting with her general motif, but it had all the same compartments as Bruce’s which she had trained on. He clips it in, though he keeps his hands upon her.

“Bruce...I...I love you” she admits breathily, turning her head up to look at the man. Her arm comes up to caress his cheek through the cowl, one of her favorite things to do. He looks back down at her, uncertainty in his eyes. She could see it, even through the lens. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it back yet. I’m a patient gal. I can wait. But I just need you to know how I feel about you. Thank you Bruce. For choosing me for this”.

  
“In all honesty Harley” he begins, rubbing over her stomach. “I feel like you chose me. And I’m not sure what to feel or think about that yet”. It took a lot out of him to admit when he was unsure, and she wanted to be the calming balm to his nerves. 

“I’d chose you every time puddin”.

She extracts herself from his arms, turning to look over at the exit of the cave. “One more thing” she teases, lifting her cape and exposing her shapely rear end, which the fabric clung too. “How’s my butt look”.

She was only meaning to tease him with it, but his reaction shocked her. Bruce walks up, making towards the platform, and for a moment she thinks he’s going to ignore her and her question. What follows is a firm open palmed slap to her rear end which makes her bite her lip and go weak kneed. Bruce doesn’t seem to notice and just keeps moving, reverting right back into the watchful guardian he was. “It looks gorgeous as always Batwoman” he says in the same gruff voice that he used to intimidate criminals.

He presses a button on his belt, the automatic starter of the batmobile going off as he primes it. Harley was still floored, but she is quick on the uptake, moving onto the platform as well. ‘Alright, game face Harley. Game face. Naughty time with Bruce later. Fighting crime now’.

She hops onto her motor cycle and starts her up, the engine roaring to life. ‘Alright. Let’s go kick some ass!’ she mentally cheers herself on, watching as the Batmobile roars out of the cave and into the night. She was hot on his heels, ready to follow him into hell itself.

With Gotham, that was very much a possibility.

**_Haley’s Circus, Gotham City Parade Ground_ **

Dick Grayson was watching in rapt attention. His mom and dad were up there, about to do some more aerial acrobatics. Of course the crowd loved them! Everyone loved the Flying Graysons!

“Move it kid” a man says, bumping into the young man, shoving him out of the way with his shoulder. “Hey, watch it!” the black haired youth shouts back.

The man doesn’t even noticed, ever focused on moving forward. He was wearing a flat cap and a dark overcoat, and something about him...well...something about him didn’t seem right. Still, the roar of the crowd brought the young boy back to attention. He looks out from the side viewing stand, just outside of the main stands which held the paying customers.

“And up next we have a tried and true treat for all of you. Give it up for the death defying, the gravity mocking, the illustrious Flying Graysons!”

The crowd roars in appreciation as the stadium lights flick on, focusing on the man and woman at the top of the trapeze. Dick lets out a shout of appreciation, waving to his parents who he doubted could see him. “Ohh this looks like it might be a goody!” someone says from beside him, shocking the boy who thought he was alone.

He turns to see a man wearing a purple suit, though that wasn’t the most obvious thing about him. No. The pure white skin and green hair were the most interesting thing about him.

And the smile.

When he turned and let a smile lose, it was enough to send a shiver down the boy’s spine. 

“Popcorn sport?” the clown asks, bringing the box of salty treats down for the boy to offer the boy some. “No thanks” Dick says, discomforted by the man’s presence. “Eh, that’s fine. More for me. Can you believe the prices on these things? Sheeesh. I’ve been on the inside for a while but man, I didn’t expect inflation to hit us that hard”.

The clown descends into a fit of laughter, chuckling to himself at his own little monetary based joke. “But still. I’m flush with money. I had to walk into the bank though. In an out in three seconds”.

“How did you make a bank withdrawal in three seconds?” the boy asks, unsure of why that part of the man’s sentence had stuck out to him the most. Whenever his mother and father had to go into the bank, they were usually there for half an hour or more. He knew that because he had to sit in the car and wait.

“Ohh it’s easy! Especially when you pull out a gun”.

The man begins to laugh once again, and for some odd reason, Dick himself found the joke to be funny. He didn’t know that the last thing the man was joking about was robbing the bank. He was dead serious.

“Ahh well...serves them right. They’re the real crooks. Anyways kiddo, what’s your name?”

“Dick Grayson” the boy says, having lightened up a bit around the man, now assuming that he was one of the clowns employed by the circus. “Ahh I hope your parents didn’t actually name you Dick”.

“No...my full names Richard but everyone just calls me Dick. Why?”

“Ohh that’s right...too young to know about the birds and the bees” the man says, taking another mouthful of popcorn and chomping down. “It’s alright, I’ll tell you when you’re older” he teases with a wink before looking back and up. “Holy cow! Those are your parents right? As in they’re the ones who tuck you into bed at night and read you bed time stories, love you unconditionally and all that sentimental candy floss?”

“Yeah! Aren’t they great?” Dick asks excitedly, not having picked up on the sarcastic tone of the clown’s voice. “Ohh hey, what’s your name?” Dick asks suddenly, realizing that he hadn’t done the polite thing.

“Hmm, you know, it may sound a little funny but...I actually don’t know” Joker teases, pretending to think really hard. “I think it started with a J? Who really knows. All I know is I want to make a fresh start so just call me Joker, or rather...Mr. Joker...no, no, no...I want to be a cool boss! So something semi formal but also kind of laid back. How about Mr. J?”

Dick just tilts his head, finding the man’s behavior to be stranger and stranger. Still, he was somehow very entertaining, and while the very basic beginning of his parents act was being performed right in front of him, he didn’t mind killing off some time.

“Okay...sounds like an okay name for a clown”.

“You think so? Do you really mean it?” Joker asks, the smile seemingly getting somehow wider. “Yeah, I guess”.

“Hmmm well that’s good that we know each other’s names now. You see, we were strangers until that. Which meant we couldn’t play together” he says, a fake sadness overtaking the man’s demeanor until he smiles once again. “Buuuuuuut now we know each other’s names so we can be friends! Best bosom buddies! Actually, more of like a mentor, student kind of thing. You see Dickie boy, I think you’ve got what it takes” the Joker says, wrapping his arm around the young boy’s shoulders and holding him to his side. Dick seemed to be slightly discomforted by this, but he doesn’t make a move away. 

It had been awhile since had had a friend.

Most of the other carnies didn’t have time for a kid, and his parents….well, they meant well but a lot of the times they were off on their own, practicing or just not around. That was why he loved their performances. It was time that he could pretend, even if it really was only pretend, that it was just him and them. 

“What do you mean?” he asks, stumbling back on the man’s words.

“That you’ve got what it takes of course. Didn’t you hear me boyyo?”

“Well...yeah, but I don’t know what you mean. What it takes to do what?”

Joker moves in lower, onto knee level to be able to look at Dick directly in the eyes. “To leave your mark on this city” he says, whispering as he brings his hand up to the side, trying to further make sure the boy saw this as a statement meant just for him.

“I am! I’m going to be the world’s best acrobat and trapeze artist!” Dick shouts excitedly, not having realized that that was the very last thing the clown could’ve meant.

Joker frowns and shakes his head, bringing his hand up to wave his pointer finger before the boy in a negative gesture. “Nope, nope, nope. Not what I mean at all my little squirt. No. What I mean is, a real mark. A lasting one. One that will make them fear you, respect you, and laugh at alllll the same delicious time” he explains, placing his hands on his shoulders.

“What...what do you….”

“Nothing, and I do mean nothing, lasts as much as pain in this city Dickie boy. It’s a lesson you’re about to learn right now. Do you remember that big ugly galoot that just passed you? Smacked into you actually?”

“Yeah” Dick answers nervously.

Joker begins to chuckle, not being able to help himself as in his twisted mind he found the situation to be hilarious. “Well you see, he’s an employee of a Mister Carmine Falcone. You’re too young to realize it, but Falcone? He’s a big bad mobster. You know, a cannoli muncher, if you pardon my racism against our Italian friends” he teases.

He splays his hands out pinches his fingers to his thumb, pushing out his lower lip and emulating Vito Corleone from the Godfather films. “You see, he tried to make your circus boss an offer he couldn’t refuse” he teases, gesturing for the boy to look up at his parents, each twirling through the air above and grasping the hanging ropes and swings.

Joker grasps the boy’s chin, making sure his eyes stay glued to the act. It wasn’t hard as Dick smiles, enjoying the show his parents were putting on. They weren’t arguing up there. His father wasn’t slapping his mother. No. They were working together. 

He wished they could live their entire lives as if they were in front of an audience.

Joker meanwhile, continues to talk, his eyes latched onto the young boy’s face, wanting to savor the moment. 

“But you see, your boss? He’s a tough guy. Refused the offer. Sooooooo now? Mr. Tony Zucco, whom you’ve already had the distinct displeasure of meeting, was sent here to...hehehehehe...cut a few corners” he says before his face falls flat and he thinks over his joke. “Corners? No...no...but strings doesn’t work either….”.

The words seem to fall on Dick at that exact moment, and the smile falls away from his face as he studies some of the ropes. His eyes land on one, which he can see was damaged. His mouth opens in fear and alarm, and he struggles in the man’s grasp. Joker doesn’t let him go though, fighting to keep his grasp on the boy. “Ohh this is the fun part! You see, this is how Mr. Zucco tries to get Mr. Haley to pay the piper! Let’s watch it shall we?”

Dick is still struggling, though he tries to call out. “Moooooom! Daaaaad!”.

The Graysons hear, but unfortunately, they are in the middle of a show, and with how they tended to ignore the boy they secretly considered an inconvenience when not on stage, a disgruntled look is all that passes onto their expressions before they smile once more and reach out, ready to take another plunge into the darkness that they didn’t realize would be their last.

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Dick shouts out, trying desperately to fight to get out of the clowns grip. The crowd goes silent when the rope breaks, but the screams of horror break out all across the circus when the two bodies fall to their death, flailing through the air until a sickening crunch is heard. 

The tears fall freely down the little boy’s face, and it’s only at that point that Joker releases him, smiling as Dick buries his face in his coat, having nobody else to turn to. “Ohhhhh tough break kid. Daddy and mommy just got pancaked. Ironically, probably how you got here in the first place” he says, descending into laughter as the boy pushes him away, his tears now angry and heavy.    
  


“Ahh don’t be like that” Joker teases, grabbing his shoulder and stopping him from running. “You see...something a lot like this happened to me once. Something worse actually. It was so bad...hehehe...it was so bad that when I woke up from it, I’d thought it was a nightmare. No way could it have been that bad in reality right? Some sort of cosmic stop block would prevent it from going all against me” he says, moving onto his knees and assuming a position of faux comfort while smirking at the boy. 

“Do you want to know the magic escape button?” he teases, entrancing the boy by speaking constantly, using his shock against him.

Dick just nods, the tears rolling down his face as steady as a river.

Joker smiles wide, almost licking his lips. ‘He’s not Harley, but he’ll do for now. Besides, maybe it’ll be good to have a little whelp to rear in my image! Ohh Harley, daddy is building us a little psycho family before we even say our I dos!!!!’ he laughs mentally.

“You go looney!” he whispers. 

“You put all of this behind you and just laugh, because...well, because why not?” he exclaims, throwing his arms out and splaying around him. “How about this! I’ll take you to the place I was born, and I’ll help you sort all of this out! You just leave those meatbags that used to be your parents behind. Let the police use a spatula to scrape them off the floor and move on. We’ll even have a little death day party for you! Death of this you, and the birth of me you!”

“....I...I….I don’t know” Dick says while still sobbing.

“Awwwwwww, no tells Dickie boy. Actually, no, let’s leave that Dick stuff behind us. No. Your new name is….ahhh! Jester. My Jester! My little bundle of mayhem! You see budderooni, I’ll be you pal, dad, and mentor all in one! I can promise you, ole’ Mr. J ain’t going anywhere and when you need to talk? Well, you just come and sit on my lap and let me hear allllll about it!”

Something about that...having a friend, someone to talk to, someone to listen? It was hitting all the boy’s needs at that moment, and he found himself entranced by the magnetism of the man. “Did...did something really bad happen? Like you say? You’re not lying?”

“Ohh yeah, the absolute worst! I can’t tell you what it is though. I need to induct you into our little club first boyo...actually, not club. Family. Yeah, family. Right now it’s just you and me, but soon? Who knows? Maybe a gaggle of brothers and sisters. Most definitely a mommy. Ohh the woman I have in mind for your mommy little Jester!” he says, licking his lips.

“She’s a cutie. I’m sure she’ll tuck you in at night and give all your booboos little kisses”.

“Really?” Dick asks.

“Really. Just take my hand, and we’ll go and make it happen! Ohh and Tony Zucchini or whatever? I think we’ll have some plans for him too. Buuuuut...in time. I want you to be nice and ready” Joker says, standing up and offering the boy his hand.

When he senses a bit of reluctance, he frowns and quirks an eyebrow. “Orrrrrr you can stay here and let the police take you. Put you in an orphanage where they make you eat veggies and let you cry alone to sleep every night” he says, beginning to walk off of the circus grounds.

“Your choice” he calls back.

It’s only a moment before the tear stained little boy makes his decision, and he rushes after the clown. “Wait! Wait! Take me with you!” he calls out. “I wanna go looney! I don’t wanna hurt anymore”.

Joker smiles and waits, turning and offering his hand once again. “Alrighty J. You asked for it! And I’ll make sure you get it! You and me? We’re buddies. Best pals. Father….and son” he says nefariously, happy that he hadn’t completely lost his touch for manipulation. 

Dick was none the wiser though, and he continues on, blissfully unaware of the plans that Joker had in store for him.

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“Any word from Harleen?”

Doyle stops, sighing to himself once again. “Not today Pam. I’m sorry. But she’s safe. Wow, ohh yeah, forgot to tell you. Harvey Dent? That hot shot new mayor guy? He wants to go to bat for her. Thinks it’s a shame she’s being hung out to dry like she is” he says, handing her the newspaper through the slot in the door.

She takes it and looks down at the picture on the front page. “Pretty handsome guy” she admits, quite enjoying the shy little smile and nervous eyes he had. ‘Huh, he doesn’t like the attention’ she thinks to herself, finding that she could relate very easily to the man. “Pfft, just a politician” she says outwardly, tossing it away.

She turns back in the cell, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Hey, maybe not” he says. “Guys got my vote. And even if he is, so what? Can he really be any worse than that asshole Hill? Give him a chance. If he’s batting for Quinzel, I’m batting for him”.

“Pfft. You can’t change the system Doyle. The system changes you”.

“Ahh I know you too well Pam. I know a hopeful little sprout is growing in that heart of yours. You’re starting to like us more and more” Doyle teases. Pamela just rolls her eyes but smiles nonetheless, her back still turned to him so he couldn’t see. “Correction, I like Doctor Quinzel and to the extent that he gave me flowers, Bruce Wayne. I tolerate you”.

“Ohhh zinger. But anyways, she’s fine. I know it. So just hang in there alright Pam? Anyways, I gotta get back to patrol. I’ll see you later” he says. “Tell your kids I said hi” she says back. Doyle tips his hat. “Will do, even though they don’t know you” he grumbles, walking away.

As soon as he’s away from the door Pamela looks at her flowers and sighs. “I’m sorry my pretties. But she’s in trouble. I know it, and I’ll be damned if I let that fucker Sharpe use that maniac Doe to get rid of her because she makes him get off his fat lazy ass”.

Weeds emanate from the flower pots, reaching out and grasping the bars over the window. They grow and grow in size, enveloping the entirety of the room almost. Slowly though, they begin to pull the iron bars in, and Ivy whispers words of encouragement, her eyes constantly darting back towards the door, ensuring that nobody would stop her at the last minute.

“Come on babies, please. For mommy?” she asks, sighing in relief as the bars finally give way with a large squeak. “Ohh quieter babies, quieter” she says, forming the pillows on her bed into a makeshift dummy, throwing the blanket over it as well.

She climbs up and jumps through the hole in the window, dangling over a twenty foot drop. Luckily, she also had control of the vines that ran over the outer walls of the prison, and they wrap about her waist, suspending her in midair. She watches as the steel bars are placed back in the window, making it seem like they hadn’t even been tampered with.

“Alright sweeties. Go back to sleep okay? Don’t let Doyle see you. He’ll make sure to water you. Trust me” she says, coaxing the weeds back into the flower pot. “Mama loves you!” she whispers one last time, the vines carrying her to the ground.

When she gets there, she gives a quick look around and discerns that only one lone guard was present at the entrance to to the asylum. ‘For once, thank god for Quincy Sharpe’ she thinks, making a run for the old dilapidated and rusty fence. ‘At least he doesn’t know how to keep us inside’ she chuckles, reaching the gate.

She was reasonably sure that it wasn’t electrified, reasonably. But still...she slowly reaches out to touch it, closing her eyes and expecting to be zapped. When nothing happens she blinks and smiles, looking upwards, a large root making its way towards her to give her a way up as it crashes through the soil. 

She jumps off of it, landing on the other side and freedom.

Freedom. That word didn’t mean anything to her. She was hated in Gotham, and she hated Gotham in turn. No. This wasn’t about getting out of Arkham. No. For the first time in her life, Pamela was out to help someone else. 

She couldn’t believe it.

But still...it felt nice. To care about someone so much you’d break out of an asylum for them. She smiles to herself, chopping her arms as she ran, making her way to the road that would lead her into Gotham city.

‘Harleen, you’re a real bitch for making me care about you, but I promise, I’m going to find you, and then we’ll find Doe and make sure he can’t hurt you’

Her next thought put an even wider smile on her face.

‘That’s what friends are for!’

**_Downtown Gotham_ **

He was hungry.

He’d never been this hungry before.

His stomach groans once more, and he wraps his arms about his midsection, almost falling into the dirt of the gutter beside the road. “Come on Jason. Come on” he says to himself, urging his frail and small body onwards.

He was a fighter. It was all he knew.

Ever since his parents died, both of an overdose, he had been on his own. Evading the Gotham city children’s services staff had been easy enough. He knew they didn’t care. Cops either. Nobody cared about him except him and he had to learn that lesson early on. The streets weren’t going to go easy on him.

Those first few years on his own had been great. He was able to leverage his cuteness into a cudgel to beat people over the head with. “Ohh please sir! I’m just so hungry. A dollar? Please?”

People took one look at the dirty street kid and would throw him a few coins or a bill or two. Anything to maybe not feel so bad about how Gotham was failing it’s next generation. Anything to put a bandaid on the issue and not actually solve it. Solving it cost money. Money they didn’t have.

“Ohh shit” he curses, falling to his knees again. “Come on, please, just...just a piece of bread!” he calls out, knowing that few people this time of day would hear him. Then, his eyes fall on a hot dog cart.

He licks his lips, smelling the scent of the freshly boiled franks. Sauerkraut. Buns mustard and relish! Ohh it was all too much. 

“Hot dogs! Hot dogs! Hot dogs here!”

His face falls at the sound of the voice. “Ohh no, not Larry”. 

Larry Lotoromo was one of the cheapest most miserly men in Gotham city, and that was saying something. Before he’d been picked up by those goons and thrown in that container, he’d had a run in with Larry. He was hungry, and he’d asked Larry for a dog...on loan of course!

The man’s response? A punch to the face.

Well now? Jason was going to get even. He smiles fiercely, the hunger boiling up and turning in his guts, causing him to feel a bout of strength. The scent was reinvigorating him and he knew it would only be a second until he got what he needed. 

‘Larry won’t miss a few hot dogs. And he won’t chase me either. He’s made sure HE’S eaten enough for sure. Fat fuck’ he thinks. 

He waits until just the right moment, when Larry begins to pull some of the dogs out and places them on a plate, wanting to trade them off. He threw out more hot dogs a day than Jason could eat in a month, yet he made sure to never give any away.

Well now? Larry was going to make an involuntary donation.

He rushes forward, his hands already open and ready to grasp at the delicious meaty goodness. Larry turns, seeing him at the last moment and gasps, trying to stop the unstoppable as he saw what was coming.

“Back for more you little…”

Jason doesn’t pay him any mind, and he just slides under the grasping hands which fight to prevent his movement. He jumps up onto the cart, filling his hands with the hot dogs and taking the pot of sauerkraut for good measure. He sticks a hot dog in his mouth, savoring not only the taste but also the warmth. He moves quick though, jumping off of the opposite side as Larry slams into his cart, having tried to reach out and grab the young boy.

“Fuck you fattie!” Jason shouts out, his feet hitting the pavement as he keeps a desperate hold on his haul. He wasn’t looking where he was going, 

He slams right into a figure, forcing him to fall back onto the ground. He screams out, not in pain, the pain he could take, but at the fact of losing all his food. “No! No! No! I needed that! I was so damn close! Do you know how hungry I am?” he asks, wanting to burst into tears at the unfairness of it all. 

In fact, he does, not being able to help it. He sits, sobbing on the sidewalk as the shadow of the man he bumped into looms over him.

The man kneels down, trying to calm him apparently. “Woah, woah, hey buddy! Are you alright? Calm down son. It’ll be okay”.

“FUCK IT WILL!” Larry shouts, moving up and panting. It takes him a moment, but eventually he straightens up and points at the still sobbing boy. “This little fucker stole my shit! Let me fucking strangle him. Do Gotham a favor!”

He makes to step forward towards the young boy, but the man preempts him, pulling out his badge to show the man. “Threatening a child in front of me isn’t a smart move” Lieutenant Jim Gordon says, causing the man to stop at the sight of the badge.    
  
“Woah, woah” Larry says, holding his hands up. “Relax, relax. I was just pissed off is all. This little scumbag robbed me” he says, once more pointing a finger at Jason who now just sniffles as he sits on the concrete. 

“That so?”

Jim was studying the boy and taking in the ragged appearance, torn clothes and gaunt face. It tore at his heart strings like nothing else in Gotham. “That’s so. And he fucking owes me forty bucks for spilling all that shit”.

“You were gonna throw it out!” Jason cries out. “Why couldn’t you let me have it?”

“Doesn’t matter what I was gonna do…”

“Here” Jim says, having had enough of the man already. He had opened his wallet and thrown two twenties at the man’s feet. “Take that and fu...get lost” he says, almost having lost his cool and cursed in front of the little boy who returned to sobbing. The outburst was too much. The man was going to throw it out, and he was just too much of a scumbag to let a starving little boy have the excess. 

Larry, for his part, didn’t care, and just reaches down for the money, taking it and pocketing it. He glares at Jason and says, “Don’t ever let me catch you here again piss stain”. With that he turns and walks back to his hot dog stand, leaving the little boy to cry beside the Lieutenant.

‘Shit...did not expect this today’ Jim says, getting onto his knees once more to comfort the boy. “Hey, pal...I...I gotta take you back to the station. Can’t leave you alone out here. Child services has gotta take you. It’s the law”.

Jason seemed to not even care, the fight going out of him at that moment of losing all that food. “I don’t care”.

“I know” Jim says, knowing that he meant the exact opposite. “But, well...you see, I was going to buy some hot dogs for my little girl and I. Kind of an after school treat for us. But..well...I don’t want any hot dogs anymore” he says, indeed feeling that the taste of hot dogs would forever be soured by Larry the hot dog vendor. “So, how about this? You join me and my daughter for dinner at the diner down the street, and then we can go down to the station and get you in a better place huh?”

Jason was still sobbing but he heard the word eat. He looks up at the man who smiles and offers him his hand. “Come on. It’s alright. I’m Lieutenant James Gordon of the GCPD” he says, watching the little boy’s eyes narrow. He chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. “I know, I know. You can’t trust cops. But hey, I’m not from Gotham originally if that counts for anything”.

It didn’t, but Jason wouldn’t tell the man that. Instead, he would trust him on account of him already bailing him out, but he’d escape at the first opportunity. Just like always. He takes the hand offered to him and gets up, dusting himself off.

“Alright, I’m parked right here. End of the curb” he says, pointing out the police cruiser. Jason eyes it suspiciously, and the first thing he sees is a head peaking through the window. A little girl with bright red hair was watching them and didn’t stop as Gordon opened the door and let Jason in. He moves to the driver seat and also gets in, closing the doors.

Jason doesn’t say anything to the little girl who watches him intently. 

“Barbara this is….you know, I actually didn’t get your name” he says, looking over the backseat at the nervous little boy who sniffles and wipes away a few last remaining tears. “Jason” he says simply. 

“Ahh okay, Barbara, this is Jason. Say hi”.

“Hi” Barbara says cutely, now having her introduction and taking that as a sign to speak more to the little boy. “Are you okay?” she asks, noticing the tears. “Yeah. I’m fine”.

“Are you sure?” she asks. 

Jason looks over and appraises her, realizing that she was around his age though maybe a bit older. Still, she had the naivete of youth, whereas he had been aged by experience. “I’m fine” he mumbles.

“You’re dirty” she says, prompting an angry reaction from him.

“Yeah so? What about it?” he asks, not willing to be picked on some more.

Barbara just shrugs. “No reason. I like dirt. I like playing in it. It’s so squishy and fun. You can do so much with it. Don’t you like dirt?”

Jason was taken aback by the talkative redhead, who already seems to move onto the next subject while pulling up her school back pack and unzipping it. “Mommy doesn’t let me play in dirt, but mommy isn’t around much anymore so I stay with daddy. Daddy lets me play with dirt sometimes. Ohh this is Mr. Huffy” she says, retracting a teddy bear and placing it between them. “You can play with him if you want” she says, gesturing towards the bear with one eye. “He remind me of you. He’s dirty but he’s nice. Like you!” she says excitedly.

“How do you know I’m nice?” he accuses, looking at her curiously.

“Because you haven’t made fun of my freckles. Everyone does. I don’t have any friends. Nobody likes freckles at my school. Stupid rule that Jenny Cobblepot came up with. Not fair. I can be fun! Ohh...do you wanna color? Daddy bought me a coloring book and crayons today because I got an A in maths” she says excitedly, pulling out the blank book and crayons, putting them in front of Mr. Huffy on the back seat of the police cruiser.

“In math sweetie. In math. Not maths” Jim corrects from the front seat, chuckling to himself. “Okay daddy! In math” she corrects, looking back to Jason and opening up to a random page to begin coloring a picture, which happened to be of elephant. “Well, help yourself! We can color together” she says, noticing that he doesn’t pick up one of the crayons. She puts one in his hand and invites him to join, something he does slowly, leaning down as if afraid she’d change her mind.

Barbara is already on the next subject though, and she hums and speaks as she colors.

“I’m glad we’re going to the diner. I don’t like hot dogs. They’re icky. But I do like the diner! I like burgers and fries and milkshakes and coleslaw and pickles and…” she went on and on about all the foods she liked at the diner, and Jason just drew along, captivated by what Jim called Hurricane Barbara.

“What do you wanna eat at the diner?” she asks suddenly, looking to Jason.

“I...I don’t know. I’ve never been there. Do...do they have bread?”

Barbara smiles and nods, though she quirks her head. “Yeah! They have toast. Rye, pumperknickle, wheat, normal, sourdough. But you can get anything! Why just have bread? Do you want eggs and stuff too? I like eggs…” she begins, ready to go on another tangent.

  
Jim just laughs from the front seat, cutting his daughter off. “Sweetie, sweetie, Jason here? He can have whatever he likes, courtesy of the GCPD, just like you sweetheart” he says.

“OHHHH...you’re lucky! You’re like a police officer now!Like me. Daddy sometimes lets me wear his old hat. Maybe he'll let you too. Can we be partners if you do? We can clean up the streets. Officers Jason and Barbara reporting to take in bad guys...." she says, going off on a tangent about their imaginary exploits as police officers.

She went on and on once more, and Jason just listened, nodding along and not saying anything but soaking up every word. 

Against all odds, the jaded street kid decided that he liked the Lieutenant and his talkative daughter. 


	9. Chapter 9

**_Gotham Salvation Center, Hell’s Acre_ **

Hell’s acre was a largely forgotten backwater in Gotham. Well, not really forgotten. Just avoided. Especially in polite company. It was where the hopeless and the abandoned went, either to die alone or to fight for whatever meager scraps were allowed to fall to them from above. 

The dark streets twisted this way and that, broken bricks, abandoned buildings, lost souls.

Only one ramshackle place seemed to have any light in it, the glare falling from out of the barred windows out onto the cracked side walk below. Laughter and joy emanated from within, and that alone was enough to attract the lost inside.

“Shhh...shhh baby boy! Don’t you realize how special you are?” Barbara Eileen Gordon, soon to be former wife of Lieutenant James Gordon asks, bouncing the redheaded bundle of joy within her arms. 

She had done it. She’d finally done it. She’d left her husband. Her ring, a note. Those were all left on a table, explaining the facts. She had went through the trouble of the legal papers, but she knew she didn’t need them. The Deacon had already explained everything to her. It all made sense.

Looking back on it now, she thought she might be insane. Meeting the dark haired, disheveled man in the grocery store, trying to keep him from touching James Jr. running home. He’d said that her son was special. A messiah, that he represented a new dawn for Gotham. She had dismissed them as the ravings of a madman. 

She didn’t even want to tell her husband about them, partly due to not wanting to frighten him any more, but also partly due to the slowly growing rage she held inside of her against him. ‘He brought us here, to this evil, sinful place!’ she screams out mentally, bouncing the slowly calming little bundle in her arms.

Her minds returned to the dreams she had. Visions. The man had spoken of them openly. Her son was an angel, and Gotham was to be his arc that he carried his chosen aboard. A New Eden. Gotham would stand as a message, a monument to the world that God would destroy around them. The man had grabbed her arm and looked into her eyes deeply, boring into her very soul.

_“Be warned now, Barbara, mother of God, be warned, for a demon who shares your name but not your holiness also takes shelter from your roof” he said, his breath rancid and spittle running down his lips. “A demon brought forth from the very same womb that carried our saviour to life! Be warned! She is jealous of the boy’s place and esteem in heaven. If thou cannot bring yourself to slay her, please, come here where I, your son’s humble servant, can protect him until he is of age”._

The man’s words were haunting, and his genuine worship of her son evident. He had fallen to his knees before the whole grocery store and placed his hands upon the boy, bowing his head low. Barbara had fought her way out of his grasp, running from the store and not wanting to even look back.

‘A madman. A normal every day Gotham madman. That’s all he was’.

She tried to placate herself with those words, and it worked…..for a while. She tried to carry on with her life. Being a mother to two children and a wife to an often times absent husband. But then the dreams started. Horrible dreams of a future filled with fire and death. It was awful. She could smell the brimstone, and taste the ash upon her lip.   
  
But then….she saw her little boy. A beacon of light, moving through the rubble, gathering those who had faith in him to his body. They followed, each becoming translucent and glowing. He looked much like his father, all grown up and strong, and when he reached her, he simply offered out his hand. 

She took it without thinking, and he lifted her up to the heavens alongside of him. She felt beautiful. For the first time in a very long time, she felt beautiful. Her son was leading them up the path to Heaven, but there way was blocked. 

A hideous creature, clad in black with deep blood smeared fangs stood before them. It was a woman, or at least wore the guise of one. Red hair spilled out over its back, and she gnashed her teeth at the group. Barbara knew who she was, and knew that the man in the grocery store had been right. 

Her daughter. Barbara.

James Jr. wasted not a moment, and simply raised his hand, performing some holy rite that she couldn’t make out in her dream state. The demon writhed in pain, falling to the floor as the group moves on. They tread upon her, not caring for the pain they inflict on their last obstacle to paradise.

When it comes time for Barbara to step upon her, she has pity, and halts. She sees the little girl she raised up, fed and clothed. The creature reaches out to her, its fingers gnarled and clawed, its visage hateful. “Mommy!” it calls out, its voice a mockery of all that is holy.

In that moment, Barbara hates the creature more than anything else, and despises the word that falls from its lips. Its weakness offends her. She looks up, watching as James Jr. has stopped, wanting to see her last act that would prove her faith in him.

Without thought, Barbara brings her foot up, and then down as harshly as she could.

She had awoken from the dream in a cold sweat, rushing to James’ room to check on him, finding his little body still swaddled and safe in his crib. She held him, cooing to his sleeping body with all the love in her heart.

The bum...no...the prophet. She knew he was right. Felt it in her bones. 

“We have to get away” she had whispered to James Jr. who only murred in his sleep. “I’ll protect you sweetie. That...that monster...she won’t hurt you. No. One day, one day, you’ll be the victor! But until then...I have to get you to the prophet”.

“Hells Acre” a voice whispered in her mind, and suddenly, as if by divine intervention, she knew where to go and what to do. She had to wait though, the voice of God constantly urging her on in her mind. Time was of the essence and she had to move, but without rousing the wrath of the cursed one. 

She didn’t sleep a wink the whole night. She just sat there, holding her precious baby boy. In the morning, she needed to act as if everything was normal. Prepare little Barbara’s lunch and get her on the bus. 

“Morning mommy”.

That word. It filled her with so much rage. She looked on, openly smiling at the little girl while nursing a deep and dark hatred in her heart. This was the evil one the prophet spoke of. The one that hid in her womb. She felt so stupid for never seeing it, being tricked as she was. But the dream and that feeling...the voice….it all soothed her. So..she sat down, watching the little girl whom she once thought to be one of the most precious things in the world, eat her cereal. 

She was practically rushed onto the bus when all was said and done, not even a goodbye kiss as was usual. Barbara couldn’t think of even touching her, so sure was she that she was a demon in disguise. 

She’d readied everything. Laid it out perfectly, all according to the will of God. James would be left with the hellspawn while she would secure the safety of their saviour. She’d planned on leaving her husband for a long time, but she’d never thought it would have the air of divine providence.

She took a bus across town, and walked when it went no further. She wasn’t afraid. No. Not of the characters who hid in the darkness and leered, or those who might have thought to rob, kill or even worse anyone who was walking down that street. She was protected.

By the angel in her arms. 

When she arrived at the shabby church, part of her was a bit disappointed. This was to be her child’s home? Her mind was stilled by the few scriptures from the bible she could remember, knowing that Jesus had been born in a manger after all.

It would do. 

Now she sat, having been sequestered amongst the parishioners who formed a protective circle about her, all eagerly awaiting the prophet. He doesn’t keep them long, and with newly made flowing robes he ascends the stairs leading up from the basement into the center of worship. The parishioners, all poor and abandoned souls who called this place home, fell to the ground, worshipping the man. 

He raises his hands, and Barbara smiles, remaining seated while coming over to James and placing his hands over the young boy. He moves to his knees and Barbara smiles even louder. “I pledge to you my followers, that this boy! This beautiful boy. He will lead us to Heaven. I, Deacon Blackfire, have seen it in my visions!”.

He stands and pulls a knife from his waistband, shocking the woman for a moment until a smile calms her. She trusted him, and returns to cooing at the baby. “We must first descend to hell. Test ourselves against the privations of Gotham’s underbelly. Who among you, is willing to follow our saviour?” he asks, swinging the knife out over the crowd.

“Who among you has faith? Who among you is a warrior of God?”

Clamoring instantly breaks out over the entire church, and they all fight to be heard the loudest. “ME! I AM STRONG!” “NO, NO, DEACON! I HAVE FOLLOWED YOU SINCE THE BEGINNING!”.

He splays his arms out and silences them, a demented smile gracing his lips. “You are all worthy. Though, for different tasks. Do not be discouraged. For it was not you or I who has designed your cause but God. Who are you to question the maker? The bowl does not speak to its creator on its purpose, so sayeth the scripture”.

Murmurs of agreement break out amongst the crowd of homeless and they all nod up at the man, wanting to hear the rest of what they undoubtedly saw as his wise words. 

“I have prepared for a long time for this day”.

He turns his head and gestures to one of the more physically impressive men who bows before moving off to the side. He picks up a locker, moving it off of the floor exposing a secret trapdoor. He reaches down, opening it up and exposing the stash of weapons hidden beneath. He steps back, waiting for his next orders. “I need volunteers” he begins anew. “Saints who choose to stay behind and distract the forces of evil from our saviours departure. To go out into the city and hunt the bastard daughter, the defiler!” he shouts.

The silence was omnipresent, the words finally out. A child would die tonight. Who among them would volunteer for such a task?

Eight men step forward, all in advanced stages of addiction. Blackfire had planned it this way of course. They were dying. Weak. They needed a purpose, and in their death the rest could escape underground, hiding and preparing for the days of New Eden when they would rise back to the top and reclaim their spots as the masters of the Earth.

The men move over, taking the weapons out of the hiding spot and priming them, making ready to use them. Blackfire looks over at Barbara who was focused on James and only James. “Mother of all mothers. Ark of our new covenant” he begins. “Merely give us the order and we shall go and kill the demon. You need not trouble yourself any longer. While we prepare for our descent underground, these brave warriors, who love your son, will undertake this great task. Merely speak the words”.

Barbara cooed down lovingly at James, not even looking at the man as she begins to speak. “She is with her father at the diner on 48th street. I wish to know no more of her or what becomes of her”.

Blackfire looks over at the men and nods, each one shuffling down the aisle of the church, stopping only to lay a kiss on the forehead of their saviour. Blackfire remains, watching as the other vagabonds prepare themselves, suiting up for their descent into the sewers beneath Gotham. “Mother. It is time” Blackfire says, helping the woman rise while wrapping a cloak about her and the baby. Barbara doesn’t notice and just follows the man’s prompts, leading the procession of devoted followers behind her. Blackfire waits until the church is empty, drawing a lighter from his own robes and looking at the stack of gasoline tanks he’d stored towards the back pews.

He knees down and lights the device, pressing it against the wood and igniting a trail of gasoline all the way back. He drops the lighter and joins his flock, descending down the stairs into the stygian darkness below.

He was alone with his flock...for now. 

He would prepare. The demon would die. It was all ordained and he would be the one to lead them to heaven.

As the church ignited and began to burn, he slams the grate shut, locking it behind him with a torn piece of rebar. They begin to sing, songs of hope and love, which bounce off of the empty corridors and walls.

They were home….for now.

**_The Streets of Gotham_ **

“Batwoman!”

The sound crackled to life in her earpiece and shocked her, causing the bike to sway a bit as she momentarily lost control. Still, she was able to bring it back to a steady position and slowly reach up to her ear, pressing the side of the cowl.

“Batman, holy bejeezus you scared me!” she chides, not having realized there was a radio in her cowl or expecting it to go off at that very moment. “Sorry” Bruce says, the gruffness of his voice hiding the fact that he indeed did feel a little guilty. 

She just smiles and swerves the bike around an oncoming car, loving the adrenaline rush. “It’s alright puddin. What’s up?”

“I have a police report incoming about John Doe. It’s bad news”.

Harley’s face falls at those words, and she doesn’t know what to prepare herself for. “Ohh no. What’s going on?”

“We have a break in at Ace chemicals. Security footage shows that he has a young boy with him” Bruce begins, reaching down to the mobile batmobile computer and pressing a few buttons to run a retinal scan on the image of the smiling little boy walking alongside the clown. “His name is Richard John Grayson. Apparently a 765 was just called on his parents who were performers at Haley’s circus”.

Harley’s eyes go wide, knowing exactly what that meant. “Ohh god, Batman. We have to get there now. He has that little boy in such a fragile state. There’s no telling what he’s going to do to him”.

“I know. We’re on route there now. Stay right behind me” he says, just as she hears the nitrous engage on the batmobile, the engine roaring so beautifully in her ears. She leans forward more, engaging the nitrous switch on the handle bar, careening the sleeker more advanced bike after the car. Both were screaming through the night, arbiters of justice and vengeance.

‘God, please let us get there in time!’ she thinks, knowing that whatever Doe would do, wouldn’t be good.

**_Ace Chemicals_ **

“Umm Joker?”

“Yeah little Jester?” the clown prince of crime asks, turning to the little boy and picking him up by the waist, setting him to sit atop the metal railing. They were on a cat walk, dangling only about fifteen feet above the vats of green acid. It smelled awful, and steam emanated off of it. 

Dick was scared, but he refused to show his new friend that. No. Instead he’d just ask questions. As he was slowly finding out, the Joker was very good with providing answers that even if they didn’t make sense, at least made him laugh.

“Why are we here?”

The man’s eyes go wide and he gestures around. “Why wouldn’t we be here? It’s a veritable carnival of fun. Ohh it’s so perfect don’t you think?”

Dick thought the exact opposite, but he didn’t have time to voice that opinion. Joker was already going on. “The bright colors, the industrial smell. Ohh yeah that’ll put some hair on your chest buddy! Breath deep. This is where I was born. Right...down...there” he says, turning the boy’s head and pointing towards the vat directly below them. 

Dick looks at the viscous green liquid, swirling about ominously.

“Really? In there?”

“Uhh hmm”.

“Did...did it hurt?”

“Pfft...not at all!” he says with a laugh, crossing his fingers behind his back. “In fact, it felt like the cleanest, best bath you’d ever take. Last one you’d ever need actually”. Joker stops, a strange look on his face as he brings up his arm and sniffs under his armpit, making yet another face as he catches his own scent. “Actually, I take it back. I might need another bath”.

Dick laughs, not being able to help himself. It was just too funny.

“Ahh there you are. That’s what I want to see. A nice, bright smile!”

Dick just keeps laughing, not stopping as all his accumulated youthful anger, lack of understanding, sadness and hate coil uncomfortably within him. He wasn’t stupid. He knew his parents hated him. Never wanted him. Nobody did. Nobody except Joker.

He kept laughing and Joker joins in, his hands on the little boy’s waist. “That’s the spirit! Laugh it all away little buddy! Laugh it all away! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!”

The laughter reaches a crescendo, just as Joker picks him up, dangling the boy over the side, ready to drop him. “I’ll be waiting on the other side Junior. Don’t disappoint daddy!” he says. He decreases his grip on the boy, taking a finger away every few seconds. “This little piggy went to market, this little piggy went home, this little piggy had roast beef….and this little piggy had none”.

Dick suddenly stops laughing, looking down with fear in his eyes. He remembers the first time that his father had brought him to the top of the trapeze. He’d frozen with fear and his father hit him for it. Now? He was feeling that same icy grip on his midsection, but looking at the Joker? His face contorted in menacing glee as he laughed harder and harder? He knew the penalty for backing out now, if it was even heeded, would be much worse.

His fear kept him silent.

“And this little piggy” the Joker says, entering the final lap of his plan. “Went...weee…..weee...weee...allllll the way home!”

On this last word, Dick feels the man’s hands fall away from him completely, and he’s suddenly falling through the air. He suppresses the urge to scream, and his mind is preoccupied with the image of his parents’ bodies falling through the air. He was dying, just like them, or maybe...no...no. He wouldn’t. He trusted the Joker. Whatever this was, he wouldn’t die. Right? It couldn’t end this way.

He feels the acid coming closer and closer, the heat pressing in on his back. The last thing he hears is a scream. It sounds like….well, he didn’t no. But he knew it wasn’t the Joker. He could hear his laughter still. It sounded like a woman screaming out “NOOOOO!”

As the acid envelops him, and his body goes under, his last thought was that the voice sounded...heavenly. Motherly even. He wanted to hear that voice again.

That was his last thought as the pain overtakes him. His skin was being scorched, he knew it. It felt like it was peeling away. He wanted to scream, but opening his mouth only allowed more of the acid in there, burning his tongue and lips. He didn’t know what to think, his mind being completely overwhelmed by the sensation of death. 

Soon, he’s pulled downward, the drain working to pump him out of the system. The unknowing callousness of machines.

He is rocketed through, his body being small enough to fit easily through the pipe. He didn’t know where he was going, but he did know that the pain wasn’t so bad anymore. He wasn’t dying! Maybe the Joker was right. He was actually being reborn. He just hoped he wouldn’t drown before seeing what he was changed into. 

But one thing was for sure...he did like the sensation. He found it….funny.

**_Gotham Empire Diner, 48th Street_ **

“Woah, easy buddy. No need to scarf it all down. If you want more just ask” James says, reaching out to place a hand on the young boy’s shoulder. Jason barely notices, and he doesn’t stop chewing the massive bite of burger he’d taken.

He does finally look up though, and the man’s gentle eyes calm him down, indeed comforting him that nobody was going to take his food. He swallows and looks down, a little ashamed and hoping he hadn’t embarrassed the man who’d been nice to him. “Sorry Lieutenant Gordon”.

“Eh it’s okay kid. We’ve all had those days” he teases, leaning back and reaching down to bite into his own burger. “It’s a manly thing. We’ve gotta eat, and we’ve gotta eat meat” he teases, winking at the boy while secretly trying to tease his daughter. “I eat meat too!” Barbara says petulantly. “And I’m a girl”.

“Ohh that’s right sweetie. I forgot” Jim teases, reaching across to rub his fingers through her hair. “But you’re different princess. You’re a police officer in training” he adds, making his daughter beam before digging back into her ketchup covered fries. Jason just smiles, loving the easy going relationship between the two of them. 

Barbara stops and turns to him suddenly, pushing forward her milk shake. “Are you sure you don’t want a milkshake Jason? It’s really good! Try some of mine? Pleassssse?”

He wanted to tell her no, but something about her face, especially when she pouted her lips and looked at him with those puppy dog eyes, he couldn’t say no. He nods and leans forward, taking the straw and sucking some of the ice cream and milk concoction through the straw. His eyes widen in shock. “Wow...that’s really good. Thank you Barbara”.

He was glad that he could remember his manners from time to time, because the smile that lit up the girl’s face, even at such a simple thing, made his day. “You’re welcome! Would you want to keep sharing? I don’t….”.

“Alright, easy on the germ spreading you two” Jim says, rolling his eyes and smiling at his daughter’s innate altruism. “Would you like one Jason?” he asks, turning to the boy. “Of your own I mean? We still have time and a little dessert wont kill you” Jim says. Jason was a little shocked, not knowing what to do. He really didn’t want to take advantage of the man who’d already been so kind in buying him a burger and fries. More food was being offered? He was still so hungry, and the milk shake...it did taste delicious. He didn’t know what to do. 

“He’d like one, but he doesn’t want to tell you daddy” Barbara says, speaking up for her friend.

“Ohh, and why is that?” Jim asks, looking at the redheaded girl.

She shrugs, knowing it to be a simple thing, or at least thinking it simple in her mind. “Because he’s embarrassed. I can see it though. He really wants one. I bet Jason likes….” she scrunches her mouth up and looks at him, the boy blushing at having the little girl speak for him but allowing her too nonetheless. 

Going along with Barbara seemed to be a lot less of a hassle than having to constantly speak up for himself. He hated talking, and Barbara? She seemed to love it. So maybe it was good to be here with her. 

“Chocolate. Yup! He likes chocolate”.

“This true son?” James asks, jokingly making it an interrogation. “Do you like chocolate?”

Jason couldn’t help it as he laughs and nods, still embarrassed. “Alrighty then, let me go ask them for a chocolate shake for you. If we wait for one of them to mosey on over here, we’ll be waiting forever” the man says getting up and stretching his back. “Alright, rookie” he says, looking over at Barbara who faux salutes. “Yes Lieutenant?”

“Look after the newer rookie. You’re in charge now”.

“Yes sir!” she shouts out and Jim walks away up towards the counter, leaving the two kids for only a moment. It’s quiet, but Jason wants to talk. “Your dad is really nice”. He meant the words and they made Barbara smile. “He is the bestest! Wait, no...just best. Bestest isn’t a word” she reminds herself, settling back on the boy.

She falls silent, and that in and of itself was worrying for Jason as he hadn’t heard he be quiet since the first second he met her. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah…”

“No it isn’t”.

“How can you tell?” she asks, a little put out by the fact that he already knew she was fibbing. “I don’t know” he admits. “I guess I just can”.

“I...will you be my best friend?”

The words were strange and sudden, but he’d come to expect that from Barbara who just let any words she wanted to tumble out of her mouth. “I wouldn’t be a good friend” he says, wanting to shunt the issue off to the side. 

“Yeah you would. You’re already nice. You haven’t told me to shut up once. Everyone tells me to shut up”.

“Well...that doesn’t mean I’d be a good friend” he says, trying to defend his point. She just shakes her head, not having it. “Yeah it does. You let me talk. You colored with me. You drank some of my milkshake. That already means we’re best friends. I’m just asking to be polite”.

He wants to laugh at how insistent she was but he found it just too comforting. “So...why’d you ask me if you wouldn’t let me say no?”

“Because….I don’t know”.

“That’s going to be your answer to a lot of things isn’t it?”

“I don’t know...ohh...hahaha” she chuckles, having walked right into the trap unwittingly laid by Jason. “I guess it might be. Is that alright?”

“Yeah. It’s fine but...I probably wont be around much” he admits, not wanting to upset the girl. “Why?”. He sighed, not knowing how to explain it because he himself didn’t know all the details. “Well, I think they put me in a place called an orphanage. It’s where every kid who doesn’t have parents goes and I guess lives. I don’t know. I’ve never been there”.

“Well..I can come see you there” she offers.

“You wouldn’t want to. You’d get bored and leave me behind. Just like everyone else” he says, suddenly spiteful, but not at Barbara. No. He was angry at the world around him. The little redhead quickly reaches out and takes his hand, squeezing it. He turns to look into her eyes and he’s a little shocked at how fiercely insistent her gaze was. “I wouldn’t!” she says before turning back into the same carefree Barbara he had known up to this point. “I promise”.

He doesn’t get a chance to respond, being distracted by the sound of the bell attached to the diner’s door opening, signalling the entrance of another customer. “Lieutenant Gordon?” a man asks, entering with two other men, all dressed in dirty clothes.

“Yes?” Jim says, turning around at the counter, just having placed the order for another milk shake. 

Without another word, the man reaches into his jacket, and an automatic rifle is retracted. Jason sees it all, and he goes wide eyed, freezing for a moment until the rifle opens fire, spewing bullets right into Jim’s midsection.

“DADDDY!” Barbara screams out, seeing the whole thing. The gunman turns, a sick smile on his face as Jim slides to the floor, blood already pouring out of him. “There’s the little demon! Get the whore!” he shouts, making to raise his rifle yet again. A gunshot echoes out, a solitary one, and the man’s eye explodes outward before his body slumps to the floor and the rifle clatters away. Jim had managed to draw his service revolver, and shakily get a shot off.

He was lucky.

“Fuck! He got Dave! Make sure this fucker dies this time” the next man says, moving upwards and unloading an entire clip into Gordon’s chest. Barbara was sobbing, not even able to form coherent words. The man drops his rifle and pulls a knife, turning to lick his lips as he stares down the little girl and boy.   
  
Jason slides out of the both, pulling Barbara along with him as he shuffles her behind him. “Follow me alright?” he whispers, slowly backing away, shielding her body from the advancing man. Barbara just sobs out again, holding her teddy bear close to her chest. “Ohh...I could see what Deacon Blackfire meant” the greasy man says, his friend maintaining an overwatch at the door, guarding the other cowering customers. 

“When your mother sent us after you, she warned us that you’d be hard to kill. Not because it would actually be any effort, but because we wouldn’t want to kill a little girl. But looking at you? Nah. It’s going to be easy. Especially knowing that I’m doing it for our saviour”.

Neither of the children knew what the crazed man was talking about, but Jason did know one thing. The knife he’d managed to slip into his hand? It was going to help. He looks back at the body of Jim Gordon and wants to cry himself, seeing the cold dead eyes of the once joyful man. It filled him with rage, and hearing Barbara’s cries and seeing her tears hadn’t helped that at all.

“Step away from her boy” the man says, now addressing him. “You’re unwittingly guarding the devil. Step away from her and join us. We can protect you”.

“Protect this” Jason snarls, reaching forward and throwing the knife with as much force as he could. It sails through the air and imbeds right in the man’s thigh. It was a good throw, one that cut very deep. 

He screams, falling to the ground and trying to staunch the blood. “FUCKIN’ BASTARD!” he shouts, drawing the attention of the other man who rushes forward to check on his friend. He raises his rifle, aiming it at the children. He had obviously been more situationally alert than his other friend, and he wasn’t taking chances. 

Shots pepper the windows, catching the man in the shoulder and causing him to drop to the floor, holding his wound as well. “This is the police!” they hear from outside. “We see you in there scumbag!”.

“Come on” Jason says, taking Barbara’s hand and rushing towards the back, seeing the exit sign. He knew they needed to get out of there and they needed to do it quick. Jason, even with knowing Lieutenant Gordon for the short time he did, still didn’t trust the cops.

“But what about dad…”

“Barbara...I’m sorry but he’s dead. We have to go!”

She wanted to protest, but something in his voice kept her going and forced her to listen. He knew what to do, or at least he had convinced himself that he knew what to do. They rush out of the back door, jumping off of the stoop and into the alley. Barbara had her stuffed animal in one hand, and Jason’s in the other.

“Jas...Jason…” she sniffles. “Where...where are we going?”

“I...I don’t know. Somewhere safe. I promise” he says.

“How...how do you know?”

“Because...well, I don’t alright?” he asks, snapping angrily as they turn the corner and enter into yet another long alley way. He stops, not even needing to realize he’d done wrong. He turns and places his hands on her shoulders, seeing that they were far enough away for the moment to try and calm her down. “Barbara...I...your dad...umm”.

He didn’t know what to do, and she didn’t either. She sobs into his chest, collapsing against him as he holds her up, rubbing her back. “I...I...I don’t know..what to...to do” she begins to hyperventilate. “Shhh, umm….well….I’ll take care of you” he says, out of nowhere but meaning the words entirely. She slowly calms down but the destroyed look on her eyes is enough to convince him that she wouldn’t be okay. Not for a little while.

“I promise” he says, a smile coming to his lips as he hugs the little girl close. “It’s what best friends are for”.

She smiles lightly, but shakes her head and returns to crying, just holding her bear tight. “Daddy”. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and begins to lead the little redhead forward. He remembered what had been said about her mother. He didn’t want to talk about that. Didn’t want to bring it up. Right now he was focused on getting her someplace warm to sleep for the night, and he had a few good ideas on how to remain warm. 

“Where...where are we going?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan”.

“....okay”.

**_Ace Chemicals_ **

“NOOOO!”

Harley watched the boy drop over the side, and she saw Doe’s sinister smile. The laughter echoing about the entire room. She lunges forward, trying to pull her grappling hook at the same time as Batman aims himself at the Joker, who had taken the opportunity to try and run towards a fire escape that led to the roof.

His laughter was grating into Harleen’s ears, and she wanted to kill him. Instead, she focused on trying to save the boy. Bruce meanwhile, caught the white skinned man easily, and delivered and uppercut that sent the man sprawling. He flew through the air, his head impacting harshly against a steel beam, knocking the man out cold and silencing his laughter. 

Harley didn’t notice, reaching the railing just in time to watch the boy’s fingers slip under the acid, her batclaw in hand. She searches, her eyes gazing over the surface, eager for any signs of further disruptions or signs of life. She finds none, and her hand goes limp. 

  
She closes her eyes, leaning against the railing for support. “Ohh god...we weren’t fast enough” she says, the brokenness already hitting her. Bruce is beside her quickly, scanning the acid with his own eyes, searching for the same thing that Harley was. “Dammit” he seethes, his fist impacting harshly against the railing as he brings it down. He turns quickly, marching back over to the clown and picking him up by his neck. 

“Batman! What are you…” Harleen begins, worried beyond worry that he was about to break his own rule. She’s placated when she sees him searching the man’s pockets, discarding all the tools he had on him. Each was more ridiculous yet sinister in nature than the last. Jabbering teeth, a boxing glove attached to a pistol. He threw it all into the acid, letting it dissolve away before turning the man and binding his hands, throwing him to the ground.

“Batman...I...I...I was too slow. I’m so…”

“No” he begins, silencing her apology. He turns and looks at her, just shaking his head. “This wasn’t your fault. We can’t do this. Not to ourselves. No matter how much it hurts. The only one who is at fault for this, is this madman. We can’t help people, if we’re paralyzed by guilt”.

Without another word he turns and presses the receiver on his cowl’s ears to life, making a call to GCPD of all people. “Tell your units John Doe has been apprehended and is waiting for you at Ace chemicals. He murdered a child”. He cuts the line curtly, not even giving the dispatcher time to respond.

The two stand there silently, not knowing what else they could do. Neither thought the boy could’ve survived, and the police were on their way when they found out about Doe. Most assuredly they would be here soon, and with the Police already shooting to kill? It wouldn’t be a good idea for them to stick around.

“Batwoman” Bruce begins, moving up behind her, a calming hand on her shoulder. “We need to go”. 

She nods, trying to feel better about the situation but finding it impossible. No matter what, a child was dead. Sure, they’d gotten Doe. She’d be able to go back to the asylum and work, resume some of her life. But...that child, Richard was his name, he wouldn’t be able to even start his life. Ever

‘Richard…’ she thinks, turning to follow Batman as they rush from the facility, needing to make it back to their vehicles. ‘I promise, I’ll never forget your name sweetie’.

She made a vow, and with that, her being Batwoman, was beginning to mean more and more to her than even before.

**_Waste Pipeline, Outside of Ace Chemicals_ **

He coughed up, spitting some of the neutralized acid out of his mouth and throat before rolling over, throwing up the remains of whatever had been in his stomach before. He hurt, but not nearly as much as he expected. 

“Owww….Joker?” he calls out, standing up on shaky legs and trying to steady himself out. He hears nothing, having expected the man to follow through and indeed be there when he woke up. His laughter was still ringing in his ears.

Dick steps forward, feeling as if he was dragging his body through mud. He stops when he reaches a puddle, and gets a first glimpse at something strange. His reflection! It was...different. He falls to his knees and stares at it, his eyes tracing over the changes.

Slowly..he begins to laugh. His hands come up to his head and he grasps his own hair, which was now green in place of black. His laughter grows louder and louder, until he doesn’t even try to contain it. He looked just like the Joker now, and yet...he was still alone. The clown had tricked him, just like everyone else.

He couldn’t find it in him to be mad at the man though. In fact, he was probably the only one who had ever told him the truth. He felt better than he had ever felt before. 

Now?

Everything was funny?

**_Vreeland Park_ **

She didn’t know why she was here. It was stupid. It didn’t make sense. Then again, nothing did. She just remembered that Harley had said something to her about going to Vreeland park with Bruce. It had been an aside comment, but still..it was a lead.

She sighs to herself.

‘A lead that isn’t going anywhere’.

She continued to walk through the park, enjoying the greenery if nothing else. It felt good to be around it. Still, she wore a trenchcoat and a hat, the collars turned up to hide her identity. She had already heard that the police were looking for her which made her scoff in annoyance. ‘Doe breaks out to try and skin Harleen and wear it and nobody cares, but I break out to save her and all of the sudden I’m public enemy number one’.

She knew that it was more so because of her metahuman abilities more than anything else. She was a threat to the public at large in their minds, while Doe? Doe was run of the mill to them. A madman who liked to hurt people.

He was nothing special.

A cry echoes out from the park and Ivy looks up, able to instantly pinpoint where it was coming from. It was almost like the sound travelled through the roots of the trees, right to her. She takes off running, knowing that something was wrong.

“Please! Please, take what you want just...just don’t hurt us!” a woman says, holding her son close to her as he cowered into her jacket. The woman was surrounded by three men, all wielding weapons and knives of some sort. “Ohh but we are lady. Don’t you worry about that. We’ll be taking exactly what we want” the man in front teases. 

The womans eyes widen in horror, and she holds her son tighter. 

“What? You thought because the big bad bat is out that you could just walk around our turf huh?” one of the thugs says, raising his knife angrily.

“Last I checked this park belonged to everyone”.

A vine snaps out, closing around the man’s wrist and yanking away the knife. He’s pulled into the air instantly, screaming in shock before he’s hit in the head by a branch, knocking him out. The other two are just as quickly dispatched, the men being grabbed and suspended in the air, allowing Ivy to approach.

They cower in fear, though they also ogle her, as she removes the trenchcoat, leaving her in just her orange Arkham jumpsuit, which outlines her curves quite well. “So...what should be done with would be rapists?”

Her answer was simple of course. Killing them in all manner of horrible ways. Castration, eye gouging, skinning. All were available to her. But...Harleen’s voice enters her mind, and she growls at herself, hating that she’d gotten so soft. “You got off easy tonight scumbags” she says before slamming each of them against the same tree that she’d used to knock out their compatriot. All three lay on the ground, unconscious. 

“Well...yeah” she says to the woman who just looks up at her with a shocked expression. The little boy however, seemed to be in awe of her. “Mommy...she’s green!” he says excitedly, prompting the mom to shush him. “Tommy, that’s rude!” she castigated, turning back to Ivy. “I...I…”

“But mommy!” the little boy says. “I wasn’t being rude. Green is the best color! She’s beautiful! I wish I was green”.

That made Ivy smile, and she didn’t know how to say anything back to that. She just waves her hand, quieting the woman. “It’s fine just...don’t walk around alone here at night. I know this is the nice park but...still”.

She hears sounds from behind her, and turns, seeing a police officer, his gun already drawn. “Hold it lady. You that escaped prisoner from Arkham?”

She quirks an eyebrow and sighs. “Wow officer. Geee. Here right in the knick of time” she says, being in a somewhat more agreeable mood. “If you’d gotten here a little earlier, maybe you’d have been able to do your job”.

“Hey I came as soon as I heard the scream!” the older man defends, making Ivy feel a little bad seeing as he was obviously sweaty from running. “Alright, fair enough. But I’m afraid I can’t let you take me in. I have to do something”.

“She saved us officer!” the woman shouts from behind Ivy, getting up to defend the woman.

“I know, but...still..she’s dangerous...well, I don’t know. Look, Ivy, I saw what happened and I’ll definitely note it down, but as it stands right now? You still gotta get taken in. Thems the rules unfortunately” he says with a light grimace.

“I’m not going back to Arkham until I know she’s safe” Ivy protests.

“Until who is safe?”

“Harleen Quinzel”.

The officer stops and even drops his pistol, confusion reigning on his face at first before he smiles. “Well, good news for you. She is...I mean, well...we’re sure she is. We haven’t heard from her yet persay, buttttt...we did find John Doe”.

“What?” Ivy asks incredulously.

“Well not technically us. Batman and the new Batwoman character. Son of a bitch killed a kid. Threw him in a vat of acid” the man says.

“Ohh”. 

The two are silent for a moment, and Ivy didn’t know what to do. It felt like the wind had been taken out of her sails, and that she’d broken out for no reason. Maybe it had been stupid from the start after all though. ‘I didn’t even have the first clue where to start looking for her anyways’ she thinks to herself, sighing.

She feels a weight wrap around her legs, and looks down to see the little boy hugging her tightly. “Thomas!” the mother shouts, moving forward to retrieve the boy, an apology on her lips. Ivy waves her off again, looking down at the little boy and slowly patting his head. He only nuzzles in more, and soon, her arms go down of their own accord, wrapping about his shoulders as she kneels. 

‘Okay...this...this feels nice’.

The little boy releases her, walking over to his mother. “Thank you Ms. Ivy!” he says, the words mimicked by the mother. “Thank you so much. I...I don’t know what to say”.

“Well, would you like to file a police report ma’am?” the officer asks, interjecting himself and glaring at the still unconscious criminals. “If so, you can write up a commendation for Poison Ivy here. Might get her a reduced sentence”.

The woman doesn’t hesitate. “Of course! Of course. Any way I can help” she says, smiling at the green skinned woman. “Alright, I’ll call some backup as I only have so much room in my patrol car and Ms. Isley here gets to sit in the front. These scumbags in the back” he says before coughing and looking at the redhead. 

“What?”

“Well umm...can you give me a hand? I’m not as young as I used to be, and you seemed pretty spry with those vines” he explains. Ivy just shrugs and sighs to herself, summoning up a few vines to wrap around the men, transporting their limp bodies to the curb near the parked police car.

“Does this mean I can get deputized?” she asks wryly, hands on her waist.


	10. Chapter 10

**_The Batcave_ **

Alfred hears the roar of the engine before he suddenly hears nothing, Bruce having apparently turned off the batmobile. Only seconds later, Harleen moves into the cave, sliding in and parking her bike right next to the black car. 

She puts the kickstand down and steps off the bike, moving towards the batcomputer. Her cowl was already in her hands, and she was looking down at the ground. “Ahh Ms. Quinzel..how was…”.

She walks right by the butler, shocking him for a moment. “Ms. Quinzel?” he asks, having gotten only a momentary look at her face. She looked….shattered, and he could see the tears move down her face still. 

Bruce is out of the batmobile now, the canopy sliding closed following his exit. He too begins to follow in Harleen’s wake, but stops when he reaches the man who raised him. Harley was at a table, undoing her utility belt and focusing on it, trying to see if anything needed to be repaired or replaced from the stocks of equipment right next to the tables, all organized in weapon lockers now thanks to Alfred.

“Master Bruce...what…”

“Doe” he says simply, refusing to call the man by the name he wished to be referred to. Bruce reaches up and undoes his cowl, throwing it onto a nearby cart. He sighs and shakes his head to himself. “He killed a little boy. Threw him into a vat of acid”.

“My word”.

Alfred looks at the blonde woman’s back, watching as she meticulously works. “And Ms. Quinzel? She blames herself I assume?”

Bruce looks away, not knowing what to say at that moment. “She was close to saving him” he explains. “Almost right in her grasp. It wasn’t her fault. Neither of us were fast enough”.

“Did you tell her that Master Bruce?”

“Yes…”

“No” Alfred interrupts, confusing the man who knew that he had indeed told her that it wasn’t her fault. “Not in your normal, mission above all gruff soldierly way. I mean as a man to a woman, and especially as a man to a woman he cares about. Did you?”

Bruce has to admit that he hadn’t. He had been gruff, and he was regretting it now. “She wasn’t ready Alfred” he says, trying to shift the conversation. “Hmm...nobody ever is” the man retorts, looking up at Bruce. “To witness death. Not quite like that. A child especially rankles the soul” the man explains.

Bruce doesn’t know what to do, and his eyes are focused on the woman even more as if he was trying to peer into her soul. He didn’t know how to comfort. He knew how to fight, how to push those feelings down and keep moving. But Harleen? She was different, and he needed to remember that.

He feels a hand settle on his shoulder. Alfred just smiles up at him and urges him on with a tilt of his chin. Alfred lets his hand drop and picks up the cowl that Bruce had deposited on the tray. “I shall put this in the display case. Please, do so with the rest of your suit. Ms. Quinzel...well, she isn’t tidy but tonight, I shan't bother her with that. Dinner is on a hot plate for you two. Please help yourselves, but forgive my old bones I’m quite tired tonight”.

Alfred is gone, moving up the stairs and out of the batcave, wanting the two to have privacy while having their very important conversation. Bruce knew it was important, and he knew he would have to move out of his comfort zone to make it right.

He was used to tragedy, and he’d even trained for it. 

Harley? She wasn’t. Not like him. She still had so many secrets, or rather truths left untold as of yet, and he was eager to dig into them. She was soft, but that was good. She needed to be there to balance out his roughness. Right now though? She needed him to be more like her, and god willing, he’d try.

“Harleen” he begins, moving up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. 

She moves away, apparently not wanting to be touched, but she doesn’t turn around, and just continues to fiddle with her batarangs. “Stop. I’m fine”.

Bruce knows she’s lying, and decides on a slightly revised tactic. “No. You’re not”.

The words seem to have an effect on the woman, whose back straightens as her body visibly shakes. She slams the batarang down on the table and then lays her hands on it, palms down. “This was my second night on patrol Bruce” she says aloud. “My second. And what happens? A little boy dies. I was so close. So close! I...I should’ve jumped in after him. Why didn’t I?” she asks, shaking her head and fighting the tears that fall from her eyes.

Bruce steps forward once again, and turns her, grasping her arms roughly. “Harley” he says, his voice being uncharacteristically soft. “That wasn’t your fault” he says, looking deeply into her eyes. “Who the hell are you to tell me that I didn’t see what I saw? I failed Bruce...I...he...he died! And I wasn’t quick enough! Goddammit!” she pounds her fists against his chest, falling into his body. Bruce doesn’t say anything, knowing that this was something she needed to do. 

He lets her let out her rage, a rage that possibly only someone from Gotham could really ever understand or have. 

For them? The city’s self proclaimed protectors? It was only going to get worse, and Harley needed to learn how to manage that rage, otherwise? This city would consume her entire soul. He crushes her body to his own, stilling and muffling her cries in his kevlar armored chest. 

“Harley….I...I want to tell you that everything is going to be alright” he begins, not wanting to lie. Not to this woman. There would be no secrets from her. “It won’t. Richard Grayson died tonight and nothing will ever change that. But that doesn’t mean it’s your fault”.

She keeps crying, but it’s clear that she hears his words. “This city needs someone. Someone like you…”.

“No Bruce…” she interrupts, pushing her head back to look up at the man. The look in her eyes was killing him, and he wasn’t short if he could ever be able to take that. “It needs you. Not me. This...this was a mistake….”.

“But I need you” he explains, his hand coming up to her cheek, his thumb brushing away some of her tears. “You entered my life like a tsunami Harleen. Found my secrets, carried them into the light. You offered to join me in this crusade, this possibly hopeless but still deathly important crusade”.

She quiets at his words, wanting to hear his every thought at that moment.

“You made me realize...I don’t have to be alone. I don’t have to be scared, and maybe, maybe that makes you the most important weapon in my arsenal” he says, knowing it to be true. “You give me hope Harley. You give me hope that this city isn’t all bad. There’s other good people I know. Harvey, Alfred, Montoya, but you? You’re the first person who I’ve looked at and just….felt like things fit. I need you Harley”.

Her blue eyes widen in shock, and her heart beats incessantly, a steady drumbeat to match the fireworks going off inside of her head. 

“Even if you don’t want to go back out there with me...I need you to know that you’re the face I think about when I’m fighting for Gotham. To me, you represent the very best this city has to offer and that keeps me going. This wasn’t your fault. You stood up to the darkness right alongside me. We didn’t win. Not this time. But there will be other times, and we will win them” he says fiercely, the fire in his eyes swaying Harley. 

“Don’t blame yourself”.

The words were spoken softly, yet they carried all the strength of a direct order, an order her heart desperately wished to follow, not only to calm the hurt but also because it was Bruce giving it. 

“Okay”.

Her response was simple, quiet. She was a maelstrom of emotions, and not one night was going to calm them. She was a psychiatrist. She knew that there was going to be a period of acclimation to be able to process the things she was going to see. She even chastised herself for being naive. ‘You had to have known people might die right in front of you’.

Still...she knew that medicine had been applied. Bruce’s words were the calming balm to her unsteady hurt, and she would think over them for the next few days, letting them wash over her like the waves on the shore. 

He continues to stand there, his hand on her face and her back pressed to the table. Before either knew what was going on, their lips were attached, and Harley’s arms were wrapped about his shoulders. Her tongue sweeped out across his lips, begging for entrance, and Bruce was more than willing to accommodate the needy woman. 

He could taste her tears on her lips, the trails making their way down from her eyes her lips and downwards. He was fine with kissing them away. 

He’d do anything she needed tonight.

What the blonde needed become clear as she pushes her body closer to his own, her hands eagerly working on undoing the clasps that kept his cape attached to his suit. When they fall away her hands trace of the kevlar plates of his back, looking for yet more chances to expose the man to her. Bruce himself was eagerly caressing the woman’s side, moving up and down her abdominal muscles before grasping her waist firmly and lifting her, placing her in a seated position atop the table.

Harley didn’t miss a beat, continuing to pour all her sadness, rage and anger away into the man in the form of her passion. They were now more level with each other, and Bruce moves in between her legs, which wrap about his waist to keep him close. Her hands reach down, prying for his belt and not finding much success, her lips much too focused and her eyes closed. Bruce reaches down and helps her, undoing the belt and letting it fall to the floor, Alfred’s admonition to not make a mess leaving the man’s mind as quickly as it had come in.

He feels Harley’s fingers wrap about the hem of hist suit, pulling it upwards and exposing his taut muscles to her appreciative touch. She lingers over them, leaving Bruce to pull the garment the rest of the way off by himself, discarding it on the other side of the table. 

Their lips separate in the moment it takes them to do this. “Harley, Harley, are you sure you….” he asks breathless, trying to regain from the lack of air. But Harley wasn’t done, and though she was just as breathless as him she turns back to his lips, delivering one passionate, toe curling kiss that made him growl into her mouth.

She separates and takes his hands in her, moving them to her own waist line, demanding that he help her out of her suit. “Please Bruce...I need you...make me forget...for a little while”.

Her words were simple and needy, on a realm beyond pleading. Insistent even. He knew he couldn’t deny her, and he’d do anything to quiet the demons that were now roosting in her mind. He begins to pull her suit up, exposing the white skin of her own toned frame. He leans in to kiss her neck, suckling her pulse point and lavishing her skin with attention and making her moan in pleasure. He teases her, just a bit, though it could also be ascribed to taking time to explore her. 

“Bruce!” she moans out, her body jolting as one of her hands moves to the back of his head, keeping him in place while curling her fingers in the short, dark bristles of his hair. Bruce just moves his hands up, tracing over her flat stomach before teasing at the undersides of her bra covered breasts. 

He looks up at her and returns to pulling up the suit’s top, showcasing her body to him in a way he found utterly seductive. Harley wasn’t throwing herself at him like the numerous Gotham socialites did, eager to secure access to the Wayne family fortune. She was offering herself to him, allowing him to explore and test, tease and lavish. 

He’d never wanted a woman quite like he wanted Harley.

She lifts her arms up, separating from him for only the slightest moment being apparently distasteful to her. He pulls the suit top up, but stops just as it gets to her nose, covering her eyes and pinning her arms above her. Her lips reach out, her entire head moving to secure stimuli from him, and he obliges, kissing her and removing the fabric, tossing it onto the floor. 

His hands move up to her breasts, cupping them and teasing her through the fabric of her bra. His thumbs eagerly press against her nipples, moving counter clockwise to excite the pink nubs. It works, and Harley groans as she moves along his bare shoulder, kissing his skin. She reaches behind herself, grasping the clasps of her bra which were keeping her from pleasure. She does it with practiced ease, and as soon as they come undone she slips her arms through the loops, the discarded hindrance floating to the floor. 

Bruce takes a moment to look, admiring Harley’s perfection. Her breasts were round and pert, large as well. He would have guessed they were somewhere in the area of double d, but the primal part of his mind didn’t care for measurements. All it knew was that she was gorgeous, perfect and waiting for him. Without thinking he lowers his mouth to her chest, groping her opposite breast with his hand as his lips close around the pink nipple. 

“Ohh puddin” she moans out, urging him onto deeper sucking, pressing more of her breast into her mouth. She loved how it felt, how his tongue lashed against her nipple. He releases her breast with an audible pop, the flesh left smeared with his saliva. Harley wants to urge him back to her breast, letting out a breathy sigh that comes out like a mew.

She blushes, never having made such a...lewd, or rather..she didn’t know the word for it, but she’d never been so enthralled in passion that any noise like that had escaped her throat. Bruce doesn’t leave her in limbo for long though, and he eagerly latches his mouth to her other breast, alternating between the two, groping and suckling. 

She takes the opportunity to arch her back upwards, forcing his face into her tits, while reaching back to steady herself to shimmy out of her pants. Once they get to her thighs, gravity and downward motion do the rest of the work, leaving her clad in only a pair of thin red cotton panties.

Bruce doesn’t notice, not for the moment, but Harley brings herself back down, shivering a bit as her now bare ass cheeks make contact with the cold steel of the table. “Bruce...your pants...now” she moans, trying to reach down and grasp his waist line, failing due to the onslaught upon her sensitive nipples. 

Bruce responds on automation though, undoing the fastening devices on his pants, allowing gravity to bring them downwards as well. He was clad just in his boxers, through from what fe peaks Harley managed to get through the slight gap between them, he was very excited and raring to go. 

Bruce’s underwear bulged out proudly, sending a primal message to the woman. It was received, loud and clear, and even returned with roaring approval. She was already wet, having soaken through her panties. 

Slowly, she feels his hand move over her stomach and then rest right over her groin. His finger traces her through the panties, pressing in only slightly to part her moist petals. She moans loudly, not daring to contain it less he mistake her silence for a lack of enthusiasm.    
  
She was indeed enthusiastic, eager even. 

Bruce steps back and grasps the sides of her panties, curling the fingers around the fabric to begin prying them down her legs. She was eager for so much right at that moment, as she straightens her body and allows the man to fully undress her, exposing her innermost core to him. She didn’t care. There was none of the bashful embarrassment of new lovers she’d experienced in the past. No. There were no secrets between the two, and she wanted him to see her. 

All of her.

He pulls the fabric from her ankles, leaving her fully nude as he rises back up to look at her. She was trimmed, with a well demarcated thatch of pubic hair above her pink womanly lips. She was wet, that he already knew, and the instant proof of her arousal and desire for him was enough to make him begin to lower to the ground. 

Harley wanted to let him, savor every part of her. But she knew there was a greater need right now. A need for lovers to become one. ‘There will be more later Harley’ she consoles herself, knowing that she already had plans to make Bruce moan and scream her name in ecstasy. But she still felt raw, and this lovemaking didn’t have the trappings of pleasure to gird it completely.

It was out of desperation, a desperation to feel better. She wanted to be one with the man before her. His partner, confidant, friend, teammate….lover. She wanted them to be all things to one another.    
  
“Bruce...baby” she coos, reaching down to grasp his shoulders, pulling him once more back up to eye level. “I love that you were going to do that for me but…” she stops, reaching down to cup his enlarged manhood through his boxers. Bruce groans and winces, pushing himself into her hand more and more. Harley eagerly tightens her grip, wanting to return the pleasure he’d given her, and was still giving her. His hand had moved back to her womanhood, and his thumb was gently playing with her clitoris, making her want to spasm and scream.

“If I don’t get your cock inside of me in the next five seconds” she whispers, leaning into his ear to whisper. “I’m going to scream”.

That was all the incentive Bruce needed. 

His boxers quickly fall away, being kicked off to the side leaving him as naked as the woman. She feels his girth, not having moved away from him at all. He was rested against her thigh, and he rubs himself against her skin, feeling even more aroused by its unblemished softness. 

Harley reaches down and grasps him gently, giving him a loving squeeze while working to position him, something Bruce lets her do as it was a beautiful moment to watch her guide him. She takes a second, teasing over his head and pushing back his foreskin, pressing it back and forth a few times before letting his rigid cock rest against her waiting womanhood. He begins to rub himself against her, her slick juices coating him in her excitement. 

Bruce looks her in the eyes, something stopping both of their movements though Harley had just begun to grasp him again, wanting to bring him into her finally. “Harley” he breathes out, and she waits with eager anticipation.

“I love you”.

Those three words. They were all she wanted to hear and at that moment? It was like an angel himself had spoken them to her. She cries again, the tears coming for a much different reason while her hands move to his waist. She pulls him into her, and his body reacts just as well, pushing his member firmly into her quim, which swallows it up hungrily. She lets out a startled gasp of pain and surprise, not having expected him to be so big. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, keeping close and writhing on his cock, trying to fight the urge to just let loose.

Bruce was in just as much of a predicament, as Harley’s tight walls squeeze him, refusing to let him go. Neither wanted to be apart from one another, but Harley had something to say, and was now in the perfect place to say it. “I love you too puddin” she whispers, kissing his cheek before gently nipping his ear. “Please...fuck me”.

The words, lewd and crass as they were, were like honey to the man’s ears, and he slowly pulls out, only a bit though. Harley’s walls fought him every step of the way, but they would have the last laugh. He didn’t pull all the way out, only stopping when his tip was the only part of him left encased within her. He pushes back in, causing Harley to moan once more, the pain still slightly in her voice though it was much less this time.

“Ohh yeah...right...right there”.

“Harley...you’re so tight” he moans, reaching down to get a grip on her ass, squeezing the up until now ignored part of her body fiercely as he drives into her, suddenly becoming rough. He grows against her skin, burying his face in her breasts once again. 

She was angry, sad, lustful and in love, all at once, and she gave into the storm with reckless abandon. She threw herself against Bruce, knowing he could take it, while he took out his frustration on her, pressing himself as deeply into her he could.

She didn’t mind. In fact, she found herself relishing the feeling.

Their sexes made wet sounds upon impact, giving music to their lovemaking that only grows in tempo as Bruce and Harley get closer and closer. “Bruce...the bed.. Fuck me on the bed!” she shouts, biting his shoulder to muffle her scream. Bruce just moans in pain, working through it while he continues to use Harley’s rear end to slam her down on his engorged member. He picks her up, moving slowly to the bed, stopping every few feet to get in a few more deep thrusts into the still writhing blonde. 

The cot would do for now, as there was no way that either of them would make it up the stairs into the manor without Alfred seeing them, and neither would allow that at all. 

Bruce places her back on the cot, carefully moving over her as to support his weight on either side of her head. His thrusts don’t stop though, and Harley just spreads her legs out, allowing him full, unfettered access. Her hands reach out to his side, rubbing over his toned body while cooing up at him. The anger? The rage? The fear?   
  


It was gone. 

She didn’t know why, but making love to Bruce, and it was most certainly love making, was enough to put her at east. One hand goes up and she pulls him into her, kissing him deeply as he slams his head almost into her womb. 

Bruce keeps going, his tongue moving gently over her lips and neatly invading her mouth. They both slowed down, the need having cooled, if only slightly, and they were now managing to truly relish in each other. 

Harley moans once again, her pussy tightening around the man unexpectedly as she grasps his arms and throws her head back. She cums, her juices coating the man and further lubing his member as he keeps thrusting, trying to power through and fight against the ever tightening walls of Harley’s love tunnel.

She gasps, breathing heavily while trying to recover from the Earth shattering moment that had just occurred. She looks up and sees that Bruce seems to be well on his way to sharing in that moment. She reaches down, grasping his ass and urging him on. “Harley” he grunts out in warning, being very close to falling over the precipice himself. 

“Inside” she pants, humping up against him, causing the cot to shake under the combined weight of their exertions. “It’s safe. Just...I need you”.

That was enough for Bruce. The words were so softly spoken in that once again subconsciously more than insistent voice. He thrusts into the woman one last time, burying himself inside of her and letting loose with his cum.

He grunts, shaking as his essence is emptied into the woman, and Harley pants out and urges him on with coos and touches, loving how he fills her so completely. Bruce was at the end of his tether, and his mind goes blank, only thoughts of Harley in his mind. It was almost cartoonish. Harley smiling, Harley winking, Harley cooing at him and a particularly naughty Harley with a foam finger that says “Bruce is Number #1” urging him to “do it again”.

He couldn’t, even if the facsimile cherubic Harley’s in his mind urged him on. He moves to the side, falling into the cot beside Harley who twists and turns her body to move onto his chest. This new position allowed Bruce’s rapidly softening member to remain inside of her, while also giving the two adequate space on the cot. 

She reaches back, finding the blanket easily enough, happy that they hadn’t completely thrown it from the bed in their excitement. She pulls it up over their bodies, and nuzzles into his chest, the warmth hitting her on all fronts. 

“Wow”.

The one word from Bruce was enough to stroke Harley’s ego, pulling her back from the sadness that was creeping in over the sides. She was going to remain focused, come hell or high water.

“Motion seconded” she says, looking up at the man.

Another chaste kiss is shared, with the two looking deeply into each other’s eyes. “Say it again” she asks.

“Say what?”

He was in too much of a fog to do much detective work, and he wondered vaguely if Harley had some sort of power that was metahuman in nature. He looks back down at her, those bright blue eyes communicating all he needed to know. 

‘She does’ he admits mentally. ‘But it’s not meta in nature. You’re in love’.

That gives him the answer he needed. 

“I love you Harleen Quinzel”.

He takes her hand and brings it to her his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I like it when you say my full name” she admits, knowing that the way it feel from his lips made her feel like the most important thing in the world. 

She looks down, and sighs, nuzzling into the man’s chest. It’s quiet for a moment, but then...she hears humming. She looks up and sees Bruce looking at the cave ceiling, smiling dopily to himself while humming the familiar tune. “Hey, puddin” she asks, gaining his attention. “What song are you humming?”

“Ohh” Bruce says, a little embarrassed at having been caught. “I didn’t even realize I’d been humming. It’s stupid. Just a song I remember from a while ago. My mom liked Sinatra” he says, prompting a smile to cross Harley’s face as she looks at him, arms crossed over his chest once more and her chin resting to help her keep eye contact.

“I’ve got youuuuu, under my skin” she begins, causing the man to tilt his head and quirk an eyebrow, beginning to smile himself. “I’ve got you deep in the heart of me, so deep in my heart that you’re really a part of me”.

Bruce joins in, filling in the next few words of the song while sitting up, cradling the woman in his arms. “I tried sooo, not to give in” he starts off, Harley smiling ear to ear at their little post coital duet. “I said to myself this affair will never go so well, but baby why should I resist when I know darn well”.

Harley and Bruce both sing the last part, Harley caressing his cheek while he rubs her back. “Baby I’ve got youuuuu, under my skin” they both sing out, in perfect harmony with one another. 

The two descend into laughter, nuzzling into each other and trying to compartmentalize the darkness where it belonged. Their world was tough now, with many moving parts, but there was also light in the darkness, and it felt like it could never be extinguished. 

**_Gotham City Trainyard_ **

It had begun to rain, and the pitter patter of the little water droplets hitting against the top of the makeshift tin shack had started to scare the little redhead more than calm her. 

It had been an hour since Jason left, and she had to stay behind. She wanted to go and help him, but he insisted that he would move faster if he was alone. He also didn’t want her to get hurt. That was one thing that Barbara Gordon was rapidly beginning to understand.

Life was not as easy everywhere as she had perceived it to be with her mother and father. Her home was gone, forever, and it was enough to make her cry all over again. “Daddy” she whispers to herself, cuddling up against the cardboard that Jason had gathered together to serve as their floor. 

He’d also given her a small blanket he’d found, but it was dirty and thin, leaving her to still shiver. She brings her bear, Mr. Huffy closer, and tries to bury her face in his back. “Mommy killed daddy” she says, remembering the pieces of speech she’d heard at the diner. “Why?” she asks, suddenly angry. “Why would she kill daddy? Why would she try and kill me?”

Barbara was smart for her age. She could pick up on things easily. But she could not see anything in the past that would hint at her mother trying to have either of them killed. “Why? Why? Why?” she asks, irritated and angry for not being able to come up with an answer.

Suddenly the thunder comes in, frightening her back into the corner of the steel box Jason had pieced together out of sheet metal. “Jason!” she calls out, afraid of being alone. Part of her was even more afraid of the idea that Jason had abandoned her. Left her out here. ‘No, he wouldn’t. He’s my best friend!’ she defends, seeing that as being more than sufficient to prevent a betrayal.

Another fear nagged at her. If he wasn’t here, what if he’d gotten into trouble? What if he was hurt or worse? A few hours ago, the little girl would have categorically denied the existence of tragedy, but she was all too familiar with it now. 

“Barbara?” a voice calls out, a shadow moving into the shack and closing the door behind him. She called it a door, but it was really nothing more than a wooden plank. She sees him in the darkness and scuttles forward, wrapping her tiny arms around him and holding him tight.

“Hey, hey, easy will you?” he says, gently prying her off of him. He calms her with a smile, reaching back to show what he’d managed to find. It was a bundle of...something she couldn’t readily make out, but apparently it was important enough for Jason to move out on his own to retrieve. 

She recognizes the big blue tarp he unfolds, and spreads out over the cardboard, which was now soaked due to the ground. “This should keep in some heat” he explains before throwing her a few pillows. She smiles and catches one, burying her face in the clean white pillow that reminds her of the ones at home. She wants to cry, but she’s tired of that, and she doesn't want to look weak in front of Jason. 

She places one down on the left side of the shack, and the other right next to it on the right, fluffing both of them up. He next hands her a large comforter which, while slightly dirty, would do very well for warmth. “I only was able to steal one so you can have it” he explains, bringing over a small box. “Also, the pickings were slim at the diner but I managed to get some food for the morning. We’ll have to go out again and find more food but...I also got you this” he says, giving her her backpack.

Her eyes go wide and she looks at him, questions already on her lips. “You stole? And you went back to the diner? Jason, you can’t steal! It’s wrong”.

“Nobody will miss it Barbara. I promise. And we need it a lot more than they do” he defends, knowing his way around the streets and now having to explain the code to the once privileged girl. “I promised I’d take care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do”.

The words seem to placate the young girl who would already rationalize any action taken by her best friend/saviour as having needed to be done. “Alright. But...we can share the blanket. It’s big for both of us. And I don’t mind cuddling”.

“Eww..I can’t cuddle with a girl!” Jason says petulantly, causing Barbara to glare at him and stick her tongue out. “Why not? I’m your best friend, not just some girl. I don’t have cooties”.

Jason seems to mull over the logic of the statement, seeing it as completely rational in his young mind. “Well..alright. I guess that’ll be okay then” he says. She smiles and nods, happy to once again get her way. 

Her smile falls though and she looks back at him. “Is...is my daddy…”

“They took his body Barbara. I think probably to...I don’t know what its called. Probably a graveyard” he says, not knowing about the process up to the burial.

Barbara nods and looks away, playing with Mr. Huffy idly. “Graveyards are spooky. Daddy took me to one once. His daddy was buried there and he wanted me to meet him” she says, an idea going to her mind. “Do you think people in graveyards can see us? Or hear us?”

“Maybe. I don’t know”.

“Well...I wanna try. Maybe my daddy will hear us” she says, sniffling once again. “My mommy. Those men said that my mommy told them to kill us. Why? Why would she do that? Mommy loves us”.

Jason hated that he didn’t have any answers outside of survival for the two of them for the foreseeable future. “I don’t know Barbara”.

“Why can’t we go to the police?” she asks for the eighth time, making the little boy groan.

“I don’t like them. Your dad was the only good cop I ever met. If we go to them, they’re going to break us apart, and I already promised I’d take care of you so I wont let them do it”.

Barbara huffs, not liking it but knowing that it was most likely the truth. The police wouldn’t leave the two of them together, and even though the boy had only entered her life mere hours ago, she knew he was special and that she didn’t want to lose him. 

He was her best friend. 

Jason sits down and looks at the walls of their makeshift home, and even Barbara falls silent, not sure of what to do next. An idea pops into her mind, something that she loved doing but never had the ability to up until now.

“Can we play a game? Before bedtime?”

“Barbara..we’re in charge of ourselves. We don’t need a bedtime…” Jason begins before Barbara cuts him off. “Uhh uhh. We do. Daddy said I won’t grow if I don’t go to bed, and you have to grow too. So we have a bedtime”.

“Ohh yeah?” Jason teases. “Okay smarty pants, what time is bedtime then?”

Barbara smirks and looks around, half expecting a clock on the wall like at her apartment but she frowns when she doesn’t see one, having momentarily forgotten. “Ohh...right...well...now is our bedtime. It’s dark, it’s rainy and I’m cold. But can we play house really quick?”

“What do you mean house?” Jason asks suspiciously. 

“Well I don’t know. House. I’ve always wanted to play it. Everyone at school does. Basically we make believe that we’re the mommy and daddy” she says, only having the vaguest clue of what that meant. She looks around and smiles, her eyes landing on Mr. Huffy. She picks him up and shows Jason. “And Mr. Huffy would be the baby! Come on, let’s tuck him in!” she says, turning her head and looking for a cozy spot to put the teddy bear.

“Barbara…” he begins, before giving in as usual. The little girl’s enthusiasm, even through her pain, would serve her well in life. She was tough, and she didn’t even know it. “Alright. How do we play?”

“Well didn’t your mommy and daddy ever tuck you in?” she asks, stepping over the question as gently as she could. “No” Jason says back stoically, not even really remembering his parents at this point. “Alright, well I’ll show you. Come here” she intones, moving the boy to her side as she gathers up some blankets and places them over the bear. She smiles down at him and leans down to kiss the stuffed animals head. “I love you sweetie” she says, turning to Jason and coughing, urging him on. He looks at her confused before it dawns on him.

“Ohh ohh, uhh, yeah. We love you son”.

Barbara looks down and squints, pretending to listen to the stuffed bear’s nonexistent words. “Aww Jason, he says he’s scared” she pleads. “Can he sleep with us tonight?”

“Umm...how?”

Barbara rolls her eyes and takes his hand in one of hers while picking up the bear and moving the three into the center of the room. She unrolls the blankets and brings the pillows together, the blanket on the side. She places the bear in the middle, its head resting on the pillows, before she moves onto the other side. 

She lays down and brings the blanket over her, nuzzling into the warmth. She pats the other side, moving Jason once more as he yawns and lays down. Barbara reaches over, placing the blanket over him as well before scooting in closer, her arms going around his midsection. The bear was right in between them and she smiles at him. “One more thing” she says. 

“What?”

“Kiss me goodnight”.

“Okay, I draw the line at kissing” Jason says apoplectic. “Why? Mommy and daddy used to do it. You have to if you’re going to bed”.

“Urrrggg...alright, but not on the lips” he says, leaning forward and kissing the little girl’s forehead. “Goodnight Barbara” he says, wanting to get some sleep while also wanting to finish the game they were playing. He closes his eyes but opens them once more as Barbara leans over and pecks his cheek. “Goodnight Jason” she repeats, nuzzling back into the blanket with her arms around the bear. It isn’t long until she turns, and moves her back into his chest, the stuffed bear wrapped up tightly in her arms.

Jason holds her tighter, the distant thunder providing the back drop for their drifting off to sleep. In the morning, he’d have to go out again, searching out items that would aid in their survival. Maybe even move out of the train yard. Alleys were better, less open and usually more overhead cover. But for tonight, the little shack would do. 

‘As long as Barbara is safe’. 

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“Are you insane?”

Ivy couldn’t help but smile at the question being asked of her. She turns her head and winks at Doyle. “Well, I am in an insane asylum, handcuffed, being led back to my cell. What do you think?”

The man sighs, his hand on her back pushing her forward. “You’re going to get yourself into some serious trouble one of these days Ivy. Dammit”.

“Did you water my plants Doyle?”

“Yeah I watered your damn plants” he mutters under his breath. “You were only gone half a day at most. Yet I watered them twice. You got me caring about going green and shit” he continues, flattering the woman. “Aww, well it only took me getting a few roses and smiling a bit to get you to care about the Earth under your feet. How amazing” she teases.

“Yeah, yeah, save it you hippie” he says, opening the door to her cell. She steps in without a fight, in fact, she hadn’t put up a fight the entire time that she’d been captured. It was uncanny. A complete 180 from John Doe, who’d been kicking and screaming since he’d awoken from the beat down delivered to him.

He was being kept in isolation for now, which was far more than he deserved if you asked Doyle.

“Bastard killed a kid. Can you believe it?” he asks Ivy, turning her around to undo the cuffs. “I can” she retorts, looking towards her plants to see that they were completely untouched and she could sense that they had indeed been watered by the man.

She notices that the window isn’t any different either, the guards having overlooked it in their search for how she’d escaped. “How’d you get out of here anyways?” he asks, causing the green skinned woman to smirk. “Sorry Doyle. Secret”.

“Ahh, well, whatever then” he says, placing his handcuffs back on his pockets. “Just don’t try it again. Sharpe is on the war path. If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re becoming a Gotham celebrity and a folk hero, he’d have you in a lobotomy chair as fast as you can spell it” the man says, moving to the door and closing it behind him, locking her in the cell he knew she could get right out of if she wanted.

“Have you heard from Dr. Quinzel?”

“Yup. A quick message. She’s safe. Will be back as soon as she’s officially reinstated” he says with a shrug. “Also, I told her about what you did. She said she’s super proud of you and can’t wait to see you. Apparently she wants some more girl talk. Whatever the hell that means” Doyle says with a sigh, leaning against the door. 

“You gave me a scare Ivy” he says, trying to hide the fact that he cared. “I can’t lose this job. So I need you to stay put and one day get out here through the front door” he says.

Ivy is touched, not having had the experience of random platonic care before. “I’m sorry Doyle. I am but I needed to help her, or at least try”.

“I know. I know” he says, stretching out and twisting his neck. “Well, you got me overtime tonight. My sister won’t mind getting them on the bus this morning. Thanks for the breakout Ivy. It was a lot of fun” Doyle says sarcastically, moving down the dilapidated hallway.

Pamela just smiles at him, watching him move away. “Goodnight officer Doyle, you big teddy bear who cares about all of us and loves us inmates ohh so much!”

Her voice wakes up a few inmates who all join good naturedly in any cat calling and teasing, especially with Doyle who took it in stride without a billy club swing to their faces. “You guys are all bullies. Big mean bullies” he jokes, getting them to laugh before he stops. “Alright alright. All of you, get some sleep. Dr. Quinzel is coming to town soon, which means your vacation is over” he says, the cheers emanating from the cells showing that the patients thought her coming back was anything but bad. 

“I know, you all love Warden Sharpe’s group therapy meetings, but it’s time to get some real rehab down. So get rested” he finishes, flicking off the light panel and leaving the cells in darkness. “Sleep well!” Ivy calls out to everyone, each inmate giving their own goodnight greetings like in the Waltons.

Ivy slips into bed and smiles to herself, happy that even if she didn’t get to save Harleen herself, she’d done some good tonight.

‘Maybe they’ll remember’ she thinks hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (So not too much going on plot wise here, but its more to set up some things that'll happen next. Buuuut I made it fluffy to fill in a bit and bring some relationships forward. Hope you guys enjoy)


	11. Chapter 11

**_The Court Atrium, Deep in the Bowels of Gotham City_ **

A drip was constantly audible, falling from the same position in the cracked ceiling above as it had for possibly centuries. The large pool that had been carved into the stone beneath it had gathered up possibly thousands of gallons of water over the years, the cool liquid stretching down the tube even lower than any aside from the very first of their kind could be assured of.

She stood by the edge, looking down into the dark pool, wanting to see what she’d always desired. Arms wrapped about her shoulders. A gentle kiss. A loving caress. Laughter. 

“Daughter”.

The voice comes from behind her, and the suppresses the cold chill that wants to creep up her back at the older woman’s voice. “Yes mother?” she asks, the deferentiality of her words and voice being instilled in her by the court from such a young age.

The woman slowly moves forward, her age being apparent but also dangerously misleading. She knew that if the woman wanted to, she could kill her in a second. The Court’s Matriarch, was not a woman to be crossed, and she knew it.

“Hmm...you have been distracted from your work”.

It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation, one the woman knew she’d have to defend herself against. She turns, laying her eyes on the Matriarch for the first time and studying her. She wore a coat, large and almost all encompassing, but aside from that, she looked like any other short old woman. The only truly distinguishing feature was the mask she wore. It was pure white with tiny black eyeholes and a crooked curved nose in the middle.

  
It was the symbol of the Elite, a position a lowly Talon could never ascend to...unless chosen specifically by the inner sanctum of the court to join them. As far as she knew, no orphaned Talon had ever been given such a high honor. 

“I have performed admirably in securing the next generation of Talons”.

The Matriarch looks at her underling, tilting her head in a very owlike gesture. “So you have, but none that you have personally seen fit to take under your wing and train as your own as of yet”.

The Talon looks away, back at the pool that had so easily carried her dreams into her mind, wanting to be away from the woman and her words at that moment. The Matriarch surprises her though, as she steps forwards and places a hand on her shoulder.

“I know how you feel”.

The words catch the woman off guard, and she looks skeptically over her shoulder. “You do?”

A low chuckle escapes the woman’s throat. “Ohh I very much do. The desire to nest, but not do so without a mate. A partner” she explains, moving off to the edge of the pool and beginning to walk, an unspoken order for the Talon to follow.

  
She does, not even questioning or thinking to question. The Matriarch continues to speak. “Our Court takes in abandoned children from the kingdom above” she begins, going over what the younger woman already knew. “We give them everything they could desire. We plan everything out for them and their happiness, provided that they serve us, and only us”.

“We are the very heart and soul of Gotham. Without us? The urchins above would have nothing, and you yourself would be most likely dead by this point. Do you remember when I found you?”

She turns her gaze on the black clad assassin, who looks away, indeed remembering that day very well.

_ “Are you hungry?” the woman had asked, looking down at the filthy girl who had been scrounging in the garbage when she was found. The little girl looked up at her, fear plastered over her face but the truth being as clear as day. _

_ The woman smiled, a soft gentle smile, and offered her hand down to her.  _

_ “Would you like me to bring you someplace? A place where you can eat to your hearts content, and finally feel safe?” _

_ The little girl didn’t seem to believe her, but an offered meal? That was too tempting an option to pass up. She reaches out and takes the woman’s hand. “Smart choice sweetie” she says, beginning to lead her down the street. _

_ “I’m going to take you to your new family. You’ll be happy with us”. _

_ The little girl didn’t know about that, but she did know the thought of food was more than sufficient reason to get her to go along with the woman. _

The woman shakes the thoughts away, not wanting to get bogged down in memories of the past. Despite the constant fear of failure she lived in, she had had a happy life. Or at least she told herself that she was happier than she would’ve been if she remained on the streets.

She, and all the other children like her, who had grown under the tutelage of the court, had been given everything they could desire. ‘But at what cost?’

“But the past is not why I am here today daughter. In fact, correcting one of my failures is why I am here”.

“You have not failed Matriarch…” the Talon begins, despite feeling the opposite in her heart. For a long time she had nurtured a quiet anger with the woman who had raised her.

The Matriarch chuckles to herself, and shakes her head. “No. I have” she begins. “When the Court promises you everything, they do mean everything. And in your case? You haven’t been given everything”.

“Despite your recent failure at the Gotham Dockyards” she says, stopping for a moment to glare at the woman who only slightly bowed her head in obeisance, “our plans have not been affected. There is a reason we take children in pairs. One boy. One girl”.

“We know that Talons operate best when not alone, and in order to streamline things, we pair you up. We raise each of you to know the other’s every move and action, a closeness more than that seen between lovers. It ensures efficiency in everything, not to mention happiness when it comes to our soldiers”.

“It must’ve been hell for you. Growing up alone. Without a best friend”.

The woman looks down, knowing that the answer was apparent. She’d never spoke out, something that was most certifiably not allowed within the ranks of the Court’s underlings, but through the years she wanted to know why she had no friend to play with in her youth, a competitor to train against in her teens, and a lover to confide in later.

She watched jealously as all of the others had someone to share their hardships with, being kept from interfering in the growth of these symbiotic relationships, she had to remain on the sidelines. Only her Court decided Mother and Father were allowed to spend any extended amount of time with her, and that was mostly dedicated to training. 

She was allowed to learn about her intended beloved though. 

Through the years, information would be given to her on her birthday in the form of a scrap book. It would contain pictures and clippings, secured either through stalking through the night, or just unique intelligence gathering.

She learned everything she could about the boy, day dreaming of sharing a closeness with him.

“Our failure to take Bruce Wayne into our fold, is one of my greatest regrets….Selina” the Matriarch says finally using her name and prompting the woman to reach up and remove her mask. She had short black hair, and light green eyes, a beautiful face unmarred except for one single cut across her cheek. “Is it true to my knowledge that you still want him for a mate?”

“Yes” she begins quietly, trying to suppress the fire that wants to creep into her voice.

She wanted nothing more than to hold the man she’d watched grow through newspaper clippings celebrating his success in this venture or that. She wanted to make up for lost time, wipe away the sadness in his eyes.    
  
She wanted it all, but mostly? She wanted to move through the night beside him. Both Talon’s working for the interests of those who could truly give them everything. It was a conundrum for her. Bruce was wealthy beyond wealth, and thus could have whatever he wanted, had it even. Why would the Court risk taking him on and regulating him to such a lowly position within their family? She didn’t care. She shakes the thoughts away.

All she cared about was that he’d soon be in her arms. If he felt his position lowly, she’d work to reward him in all other ways as to make him forget of it. ‘Bruce...my beloved’.

“Hmm” the Matriarch says, snapping her fingers, calling out into the darkness. Another Talon, whom he was she couldn’t be sure, walks out of the gloom, a box in his hands. “Do you want me to focus on retrieving him? Bringing him back to make him a Talon?” Selina asks, unable to fight the excitement in her voice.

‘Ohh no’ she thinks fearfully, remembering what that would mean. The serum. He’d have to take it. They all did on their eighteenth birthday to solidify their skills and make them the undisputed masters of Gotham’s night. It would hurt. Hers had, and she’d remained in bed for a week after, but when rose? She was faster, stronger and smarter than she had been even before. 

That was saying something considering her entire life had been spent on mastering her art.

‘I’ll be there for him’ she vows. ‘When the pain comes. I’ll hold his hand and comfort him as best as I can. I’ll be waiting for him, promising him heaven once it’s done’.

The Matriarch laughs, waving her hand dismissively as she moves onto the next Talon, her fingers gently rubbing over the lock mechanism. “Ohh no. We won’t be making Mr. Wayne a Talon. His efforts would be wasted there. No. A Wayne belongs as one of the Elite. The Inner Sanctum who directs the destiny of this city”.

Selina sees red, unable to fathom the very thought of being separated from Bruce. To have him so tantalizingly close, only to have him thrust into the inner walls. She wouldn’t be able to hold him, touch him, kiss him or make love to him, not if he was an Elite. There would be no kind words spared between the two. The most she could hope for was an order gently delivered, or a congratulations on a job well done.

She refused this future, and she’d kill to make sure it didn’t happen.

Unconsciously she draws her claws out, readying the steel blades that served to end so many lives already on the one woman whom she was close to. “Then how is he supposed to be mine?!” she snarls, angry, beyond angry, at how the woman had teased her, offering hope with one hand and snatching it away with the other.

The Matriarch just steps back and looks at her, her stance hinting at a half challenge. “Simple my dear. I am planning on making you my successor”.

With that she opens the box contained in the Talon’s hands, and shocks Selina with the momentousness of what is contained within. Her hand goes up to her lips, her eyes wide while she looks at the Matriarch, almost demanding to know if this was real. The older woman smiles and nods, bowing her head while the Talon takes the reverence even further and kneels before his former colleague, who was no ascending to Godhood before his very eyes. 

“I am growing old” the Matriarch continues. “I want the Court to be led correctly in my death and among the ranks of the Elite? I see none worthy. So it falls to you daughter. You have come so very far. You know privation and suffering, sacrifice and the truest definition of love. You deserve to rule Gotham as its rightful queen, though only a few select people will even know”.

It isn’t long before she chuckles and shakes her head.

“Well, the important people will know. The peasants will go about their daily lives as they had before”. Selina steps forward and looks down at the item contained within more clearly, her hands raising to reach out and touch it but retracting at the last minute, her training and discipline screaming to her that such a thing was not her right.

Her mother urges her on though. 

“Go on Selina. Take it”.

Without another though, she reaches in and retracts the porcelain mask, inspecting it and rubbing her hands over it, almost not believing in its existence at that moment. She raises it to her face and secures it, blinking as she gets ready to see life through the new lens provided her.

The Matriarch smiles and moves closer, uncharacteristically soft now. She’d never received a hug in her childhood, yet, here and now, was this old woman wrapping her arms about her mid section. “I’m so proud of you Selina”.

She reaches down and takes her hand, rubbing it with her thumb. Selina was baffled at the open displays of affection, but she wasn’t stupid. They were only happening now because she was an equal to them, or so at least the Matriarch considered her so. 

She didn’t care. The deepest dreams of most Talon’s, to be accepted by the unloving and uncaring inner circle, were never hers. She was much simpler. In another life, maybe, the shining of diamonds or the allure of gold would have driven her, but here and now? Another dream was taking taking shape.

If they were both Elite, her and Bruce, they could share a life openly, above ground in sight of everyone. She could be Mrs. Selina Wayne. She’d stand beside him at parties and laugh at his jokes, kiss his cheek and dance with him, their entire worlds contained within each other. Even them raising up a new generation of the Court would be different. Of course, they would still be adopted, but they’d be raised as Elite. No harsh training, no coldness. She could love her little hatchling and spoil them as much as she wanted without worry. 

She’d have a husband, HER husband. Her mate. Finally, the night would not be lonely anymore.    
  


She hears the creak of doors to the right, coming from the pathway to the Inner Sanctum. It was a holy and cursed place to Talons who rarely were welcomed in, and once they were, they treated it as if they were under a sentence of death. 

The kneeling Talon quickly stands, moving away without being dismissed into the darkness. The Matriarch notices, and smiles wryly under her mask, turning to her daughter who was now focused on the bright light emanating from within and the sounds coming down the hall. She was enraptured. Happiness. True happiness. Laughter and jokes, warmth and affection. They were all there, being shared out openly.

Men held their woman close, sharing drinks or dancing to the classical music that wafted out from the full orchestra that had been assembled for their pleasure. Her eyes settle on one couple, their arms wrapped so tightly about one another that it was hard to differentiate them as two people. The woman wore a resplendent golden dress with a plunging neckline, while the man wore a dapper looking suit. Both wore their masks, though it was still clear that they were focused only on one another.

When the music stops, they remain joined and slowly they lean down to rest their foreheads against one another, the man bringing his hand up to cup the woman’s chin. 

Her mind instantly replaced the two with images of her and Bruce.

“Well, are you going to issue an order regarding your underling?” she asks, bringing Selina back to reality. “Yes” she says simply, having realized that the man had left. She knew she needed to be harsh and strong, firm but fair. “Well, what would you like me to order for him? Matriarch”.

It felt good. To hear that word from her lips.

Selina had an instant solution. “Have him and his nest mate whipped. Ten lashes each. Both should suffer through the horror of life as well as the joys together” she says, finding the punishment to be quasi romantic in nature. If she were to have committed such an infraction, such an idea wouldn’t be too adverse within her own mind.

“Very well Matriarch. Now...would you like to meet your new family?”

It was the second time in her life such a sentence was being uttered to her, and it carried much more weight with it than the first time. “We should move quickly to integrate you into Gotham’s high society” the woman begins, walking beside her daughter. “It’ll appear strange at first, an unknown woman named Selina Kyle suddenly moving into Gotham, so perhaps we can piggyback you into another industry” she says.

“How do you mean?” asks Selina half interested in the woman’s words.

“What I am saying daughter, is that a man named Simon Stagg is going to pass away monday, leaving his company up for grabs. It will create stock pandemonium and the company may collapse” she says, faux nervously before steadying her walk. “It’ll be saved by his young niece who had been living abroad in Milan for the past ten years” she says.

“My Italian is quite good”.

“So it is sweetie. Yet something else to thank me for”.

Selina bows graciously, remembering how the lessons had been enforced upon her at the end of a stick. She tried to bury that issue, the fact of her new status already making itself known in her mind as possible avenues of revenge reveal themselves.

‘No. Put the Court above your petty desires’.

She enters into the light, the festivities stopping as the Elite show deference to their new leader. They’d already been appraised of course, their kind always “flocking together” and thus making these decisions together. The former Matriarch had undoubtedly vetted her with them, and eventually they must’ve given in. 

The world below, like the world above, was simply a plaything for their pleasures. Now? It was her toy too. She’d do things differently. Perhaps she’d earn Bruce’s respect as well. She’d have to take life, something she knew was against the very soul of the Batman, but he’d see the wisdom of her approach and join her.

“Bless our Matriarch” the crowd begins, reciting their oath of loyalty. “Who delivers to us our pleasure and bounty. Bless our Matriarch, who builds up the stones of Gotham…”

Selina couldn’t help but smile to herself, though it was hidden like so many other expressions, under her mask. Soon, she’d have someone she’d never need to hide from again, and she’d sit as his queen above the city.

‘It’s good to be queen’.

**_Arkham Asylum, Recreation Room_ **

She was bored.

She was usually bored, but especially now that she’d been out and about in the streets of Gotham. She hated to admit it, but she’d enjoyed it more than she’d ever thought she would. She still hated the large bricks buildings and their attendant destruction of the green, but...it was nice...for a little while.

“Hiya Ivy” Jerry says, sitting down across from her looking down at the crudely drawn picture in front of her. “Who made that for you?”

The man’s speech was simple, but Jerry, or Jer-Bear as Harley called him, was too sweet to ignore, simpleness aside.

“A little boy named Tommy. His mother wrote me a letter thanking me and he wanted to send a little something of his own” she explains. 

“Can I see?”

She smiles and nods, handing it over before feeling slightly nervous. “Just don't...rip it or anything, okay?” she asks, feeling childish for caring about a children’s drawing but feeling the need anyway. Jerry seems to understand and nods solemnly, his hand reaching out to offer her his pinky. “Pinky promise”.

Without thinking she reaches out and wraps her own pinky around the man’s, the two shaking on it. She slides the picture across the Jerry who takes it as if it was a holy relic, examining it. “Ohh! He drew you as Superman!” he says excitedly.

Ivy can’t help but laugh and shrug. “Well, kind of. He did put me in a jumpsuit with an S over my chest but he wrote something different on top of the page” she says, showing him the blocky letters that Tommy had obviously been hard at work on. 

“I...I can’t read” Jerry says sadly. Ivy just smiles and reaches across, scooting her chair over next to the man. “Well, let me help you then” she says, the mixture of boredom and genuinely liking the man leading to her doing this. ‘Boy, if only you a few months ago could see you now’ she thinks, taking his hand in her own and moving it onto the page, tracing his finger onto the first letter. “Now, that’s an S” she begins, the man blushing as he follows along with the woman.

She leads him over each letter, helping him sound it out and putting it in its place on the alphabet. “And what do you think that spells out Jerry?” she asks, being supremely patient with the man as he licks his lips and tries, wanting to impress his green skinned teacher.

“Umm..S...super...Super Ivy!” he says excitedly, clapping his hands. “Very good Jerry! Nice job. Remind me to tell Doctor Quinzel and she’ll give you a gold star or whatever it is you want for being such a good boy” she says, ruffling the man’s hair and causing him to giggle. 

“I think she already knows” calls out a voice from the doorway, causing the entire room to practically shut down as they all turn their heads. “Doc! Doc is back!” a patient shouts excitedly, jumping up and spinning in circles. He was like a very excitable puppy, which is why Harleen took to calling him Rover. 

Jerry was out of his chair as quick as a flash, letting it knock over in the process of running at the woman. The guards would have normally been on him, seeing his rush as a threat, but at this point? They knew better.

The blonde, dressed once more in her white lab coat and glasses, opens her arms, allowing the man to crash into her. “Ooof Jerry! I missed you too buddy!” she says, patting the back of the now crying man as she holds him tight. She looks around the room and smiles, urging everyone in. “Come on, come on! Group hug. I missed my family” she says, as each inmate moves right in. Ivy stays back, embarrassed and a little worried about what the woman would say regarding her escape from Arkham. 

The last thing she wanted Harleen to be was disappointed in her.

‘God Pamela, you’ve changed too much’.

“Doc? You sure that’s a good idea?” Doyle asks, still being the mother hen. Harleen just smiles and looks at some of the patients. “Guys, get Doyle in on this hug too” she teases, watching with undisguised glee as the man puts his hands up, the others surrounding him. “Come on, guys? Guys, ohh...ohh...okay, so this is happening” he says, indeed being hugged tightly by Jerry and the group. Harleen just smiles and laughs, watching the gruff guard pat one of their backs.

He glares at her, promising vengeance later on, but all together being more happy that she was back and unharmed. 

She waves and smiles at the guard, having come to see him as a quasi brother figure, before looking back at Ivy. The woman was still holding back, her arms crossed under her chest as she tried to avoid eye contact. 

Harleen just tilts her head and frowns, moving forward a bit. “Ahh...so you didn’t miss me? Huh Red?”

The words were enough.

The woman rockets forward and wraps her arms around the blonde’s shoulders, resting her chin on the woman’s shoulder. “Harleen...I...I…”

“It’s okay sweetie” Harley says, patting her back and holding her close. “It’s okay. I know. I’m okay pumpkin. I had a….friend help me” she says, not knowing if she should disclose everything to Ivy. She definitely wouldn’t be telling her about the whole, putting on a mask and jumping into the night thing, but she wanted to tell her about Bruce and their time together.

“Where were you?” Ivy asks suddenly, a little accusatory, which was strange to be considering she was a patient and Harleen the doctor. Still, the blonde felt guilty. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you Red, but...I was with Bruce”.

Ivy smiles and nods, already guessing at it. “Ohh? And what did tall, dark and handsome have to say? Or do?” she asks, motioning for the woman to sit down at the chairs she and Jerry had vacated moments before. 

Harleen does so, knowing that she’d have one on one times with all her patients today, but needing to prioritize Ivy for the moment. “We...talked”.

“Ohh?”

“And...he likes me back” Harleen says with a shrug, biting her lip and looking away. “In fact...maybe...more than likes me”.

Ivy blushed as well, being ecstatic for her friend. She wanted to bounce up in joy in her seat. She’d listened for a while to Harleen talk about Bruce and had begun to hope that they’d get together. She’d never believed in romance, but even the second hand info about the two of them given to her by Harley showed that there was a real possibility of something real there.

Now...she had to do what all best friends do, and tease her.

“Hmm, so you snagged yourself a rich boy toy? Lucky for you I’m in here or I would’ve taken a crack at him myself. A chance to get all the beautiful flowers I want? Sorry Harley, wouldn’t miss that buuuut” she says with a dramatic sigh. “Since he’s spoken for”.

“You better believe it Red. My puddin’ is…”

“Puddin’?” Ivy asks, trying to hold back her chuckles. 

Harleen blushes and looks away, but turns back and stares the woman down, a smile on her face as she refuses to be cowed down. “Uhh hmm. My puddin’”.

“I’m assuming he doesn’t mind that atrocious nickname” she asks, reaching out to collect her drawing from Tommy. She’s stopped by Harleen though, who grasps her wrist wanting to see. “Nope. He calls me Harls back so it’s fine. I’m hoping to get a new one soon though. Something a little cuter. Something that sounds naughtier” she says, taking the drawing and looking it over.

“Hmm, like Mrs. Wayne?”

Harleen gasps and looks up at her, reaching forward to lightly tap her shoulder which only causes Ivy to laugh even harder. “You….meanie. Who drew this for you?” she asks, shifting the conversation back to the super powered woman.

“Tommy did”.

“Ohh? Who’s Tommy? Do you have your own lover sending you pleas for passion?” she asks, gently handing the picture back to Ivy who rolls her eyes and chuckles, taking the paper, folding it and replacing it in her pocket. “Pfft, as if. He’s like ten”.

“Cradle robber extraordinaire Pamela Isley” Harleen teases before turning serious. She reaches across the table and takes the woman’s hands. “Ivy...I heard about you in the park”.

“Harleen...I had to do something…” she says, getting ready to defend herself. Harleen quiets her though, cutting her off. “I know, and honestly sweetie, aside from Bruce, you’re my bestest friend in the whole world for it. But I was safe, I promise” she says, wincing at the little white lie. Sure she was ‘safe’ but not in the ‘out of harms way’ kind that Ivy obviously wanted her to be.

‘I’m Batwoman. Nothing about that is safe’ she thinks, knowing that she couldn’t tell Ivy that. One, it was dumb to tell someone in a mental ward a secret like that, even if she could trust Ivy with anything and everything. Two, it wasn’t just her secret. 

‘No, can’t tell her at all...yet’.

She smiles, twisting the conversation again. “But, I heard about how you saved that woman and her little boy, who now sends you art to thank you” she begins, wanting to let the woman know that she was more than proud of her. “Sweetie, you’re a hero”.

“I just did what needed to be done. I wasn’t going to let her get raped”.

“Which makes you a hero. Gotham looks up to you a lot you know? I don’t know if you’ve read anything, but Bruce’s...and well, I guess my friend too since he’s so sweet to have stood up for me like he did, Harvey? He wants to give you a key to the city”.

Ivy couldn’t help but perk up a bit at that. “Really? Mr. Dent had something to say about me?”

“Uhhhmmm” Harley teases, a lilting tone to her voice that Ivy didn’t like. “It’s not like that. I just...well, I want him to win”.

“Ohh yeah, me too! But it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s handsome right? Like, you don’t have a crush on our DA at all? Do you? Because as your psychiatrist I have to say...that’s so freaking cute!”

Ivy just sighs, palming her face with her hand and rolling her eyes. “What did he have to say about me?”

“He said that you were a hero, someone who Gotham really needs to know about” she explains. “He also says that he wants to look into exactly why you were put here Ivy”.

The words send a chill up her back, her memories of her first day at Arkham vividly returning to her. “It doesn’t mean anything” she says, looking away. Harleen turns her head back by reaching across the table and smiling.

“Yes it does”

“Harley, my parents dropped me here when I was sixteen. Why? Because I was green and could talk to plants” the woman says, trying to pretend to be more at peace with her past than she actually was. “My own parents didn’t love me. You’re the first person to be kind to me in so long that...well, what am I supposed to think?” she asks a little angrily.

Harleen just smiles. “You’re supposed to think that maybe this will be different” she says, sending the woman for a loop. “Way I see it? You’re on the upturn. You have an awesome best friend who cares about you and will kill you if you ever do something reckless like you did ever again” Harleen says, glaring at her while also thinking, ‘hypocrite’.

“And her boyfriend cared enough about you before even knowing you to send you flowers. Jerry sits with you and asks for your help with reading because he trusts and likes you, and now, a mayoral candidate has called you out for being part of the solution to Gotham’s problems, and now he wants to know why you’re here and not out there where you should be” she explains.

“I think you have a whole hell of a lot to be excited for, and scumbag parents or not, you’re one of the most special people I’ve ever met. Ivy...you’re going to change the world. You’re going to get out of here and when you do? I want the world to see you. The real you. A smile on your face”.

Ivy was floored by the words, really not having expected them at all. She didn’t want to give into hope, feeling that she’d be disappointed once again. 

“Trust me”.

It was uncanny how Harleen was able to know what she was thinking, and it was even more uncanny when she seemed to know exactly what to say to calm her down and bring her to her way of thinking.

“That’s a tall order” she says reservedly.

“I’m willing to pay for it” Harleen says smirking at her. “I’ll do the pout if you don’t” she threatens. “What?” Ivy asks a little confused before watching the blonde’s face change. The smile drops, and Harley sniffles, causing Ivy to sit up straight. “Stop it” she says, indeed not liking it. “I’m...I’m gonna cry...if you don’t…trust me” Harley teases, her eyes widening, and her lip quivering. 

It was enough for Ivy who moves over to the other side of the table and hugs her tightly. “Stop, stop. Alright, I trust you...just don’t ever do that again”. Harleen smiles over her shoulder and pats her back. “I think I found your kryptonite...Super Ivy”.

**_Dent Campaign HeadQuarters_ **

“Mr. Dent, I’m really not sure this is going to go over well with voters. I mean, tough on crime but trying to get a dangerous mental patient released?” his aide asks incredulously. 

Harvey was sitting down, trying to finish his drink, the splitting headache hitting him harder than he thought. “She’s not dangerous” he says simply. “She’s a hero”.

The aide continues, seemingly unconvinced. 

“Well, true she did save a little boy and his mother, but she has a…”

“Fabricated history of altercations” Harvey cuts him off, having already looked into it. “Some dating from before she was even interned in Arkham. Others from entirely different wards than where she is. Fabricated. All of them I’m sure” he says, taking another swig of whiskey. “I also cross referenced other non violent offenders with their own records and found some of the same discrepancies. The staff at Arkham Asylum are lying” he says, already knowing the right person to go to to confirm this.

‘At least Harleen is okay’ he says, having received a call from Bruce and the blonde, both thanking him for his public support of her.

_ “So, you were hiding out at Wayne Manor huh?” _

_ “Uhhmm. Snug as a bug in a rug”. _

_ “Well that’s good to hear Harleen. Tell me Bruce, can I be the best man when it comes time? Just wanna put my name into the race before its official announcement”. _

_ It was silent on the other end of the line for a moment until Harleen laughs. “I don’t think that’ll be happening for a little while Harvey” she says, not even bothering to deny it. _

_ “But when it does? You’ve got my vote”. _

_ He couldn’t help but laugh, beyond happy for his stoic and melancholy friend. “Well, I think that’ll be a good thing to have in my corner”. _

The happy phone call had been enough to raise his spirits for a few days, but things were quickly becoming hairier. He was losing financial support, even if he was going up in the polls, mostly due to “unpopular oversight proposals”.

‘Too much damn money is being fleeced from the people of this city, and I want to know where it’s going’ he thinks.

He returns to the business at hand. “I want Arkham’s inmate files, and I want them all cross referenced. Before this election is over and before I leave the DA’s office, I want to put Quincy Sharpe and the rest on the stand. Now is the best time to nail these pieces of shit to the wall for raping this city” he fumes before calming down, practicing his breathing exercises.

“Sir...another donor is pulling out in light of this new proposal” the aide begins. “Thomas Vreeland, a stockholder in the board of directors at Arkham? He doesn’t…”

“Ohh yeah?” Harvey asks suddenly, standing up. “Want to pass him a message along for me?”

“Of course sir” the aide says excitedly, hoping to be able to salvage the money by back tracking on the proposals. “Tell him to go fuck himself. He’s a piece of shit for making money off of sick people anyway and I’m glad to not have his support. I’ll be issuing a press release on him tomorrow. All of my donors. The people deserve to know who gives me money”.

The aide sighs and nods, feeling that this campaign was sliding out of control and mentally not wanting to be a part of it any longer. “Of course sir. I’ll do it. But...after that? I quit”.

“I don’t blame you. Just leave the keys when you go. I suppose you’re going to be paid better to work for Mayor Hill?” he asks.

The man doesn’t answer, and Harvey just nods to himself, looking in the mirror at his own reflection. “See yourself out”.

The door opens and closes, leaving him alone. He wants to scream, fume or shout. Punch his hand right through the glass. “Ungrateful motherfuckers” he hears and he turns, expecting to see someone in the room with him. “Wh...where are you?” he asks, realizing who it was.

“Where I always am Harvey. Inside of you”. 

He turns back to the mirror and sees himself, though horrifyingly changed. He wore a grimace, scowl and malicious smile all mixed into one. “What do you want?”   
  


“To talk. You’re slipping pal”.

“No, I’m fine. Fine as ever” Harvey denies, trying to defend himself. “You’re tripping over your own shoelaces trying to help these people” the reflection teases, chuckling to itself. “They all clamor for change, but in the end, only for other people. They don’t want it for themselves” he says.

“That’s why you’re going to lose”.

These words send a cold pit of anger into Harvey’s stomach. “No, I’m not. I’m going to win. Gotham is going to…”.

“Do what it always does and pick the person who most protects their interests” the voice teases. “Hill is lowdown scum, sure. But he’s smart. He keeps the rich on board by giving them privileges, and he keeps the poor on board by promising them money and services paid for by other people’s money. He gets to choke the guy in the middle by having the two sides squeeze him”.

“We can change that” Harvey stammers, trying to keep it together while putting down the whiskey glass. “We can be better. We can make it better. This city is…”

“Hopeless. The only thing that’s going to help it is a book of matches and a can of gasoline. And you really wanna be the one who lights it up”.

“No, you’re wrong” Harvey says, beginning to feel more confidant as he looks down and then straight up at his reflection who scowls back at him. “This city does have hope. Batman, Bruce Wayne, Harleen Quinzel and...Pamela Isley. Each of them give this city hope, hope for the better. The tide is turning.”. 

The voice laughs cruelly, enjoying the discomfort the man was in. “Ohh so you’re in love with the green whore already huh? A pretty face, nice tits and a hero complex and you feel like the winds of fate are pushing you together”.

“No, that’s not it…”

“You can’t hide from me Harvey!!!” it screams in rage. “I know you. I’m inside of you. I AM YOU!”

“NO YOU’RE NOT!” Harvey shouts back, panting angrily. “Let me tell you something” he says, moving closer to the mirror. “You’re nothing without me. I’m the one in control. Alright? Me. I’m the one who chooses what we do, when we do it and how we do it”.

“Voters do that, and you’re out of money Harvey” the voice says, being a bit cowed by the fact that the man had stood up to it. Harvey steps back, straightening out his tie and breathing once more. “True, very true. But tomorrow, I’m going to swallow my pride and talk to Bruce. Lay it all out right in front of him. All the cards on the table”.

“He’ll turn you down. That pretty boy doesn’t care about this city. Neither do you” it says, trying to regain ascendancy as Harvey moves back to the mirror and looks at his hair. He sighs and reaches up, grasping a strand and pulling it out, drawing a surprised expression from the mirror’s face. He holds it up and lets the evil visage study it.

“A grey hair” he explains. “I’m up, every night worrying about Gotham. And each day I get up and hope to work on making it better. So don’t tell me I don’t worry about Gotham” he says, nonplussed by the voice’s words. He had hope. He needed to cling to it.

“Bruce? He cares too. Tries to hide it, but he does. I know it. He’s a good man”.

“Pfft. Right. A rich man. A rich man can’t be a good man. You have to pick one”.

“What a ridiculously dumb idea. Surprised it came from me” Harvey says, pouring himself another glass. He raises it to the reflection. “I guess you’re not only the angry me, but also the stupid one”.

This makes the reflection howl in rage, though Harvey ignores it, moving back to his drink. He sets it down and smiles. “Yeah. I guess I do kind of like Ms. Isley” he admits. “I’d like to at least meet her if possible. Would it bother you if I managed to get a date?” he teases.

“Only a lunatic would go out with a fucked up individual like you who talks to an imaginary friend” he seethes, trying to get Harvey angry again. It almost works as the man’s hands shake while putting on his coat. Just when the reflection thinks its won, Harvey calms and buttons up the coat, grabbing his hat off the coat rack, ignoring his other half.

“And only a low class desperate fool would go for a girl whose skin is green” it continues on, desperate for something, anything to make Harvey lose his cool. The DA ignores it, and opens the door, stopping to turn and say one last thing. “Green is my favorite color”.

With that he opens the door to his office and exits it, locking it behind him. The office is now dead silent, and the mirror empty. 


	12. Chapter 12

**_GCPD Downtown Precinct_ **

Renee Montoya was sitting at her desk, trying to make sense of everything that had happened over the past few weeks. Gordon’s death...that hit her hard. She hadn’t been overly close to the man, but she knew that he was a good cop. ‘Probably would’ve made commissioner too if he didn’t die’.

She looks up, glaring at Gillian Loeb, who was sitting down in his office, jovially speaking with Gordon’s replacement, the recently promoted Detective Arnold Flass. The blonde man was happy, happier than he’d ever been while at this department. ‘Corrupt piece of shit’, she thinks, not knowing if she was talking about Flass, Loeb or both.

Probably both.

“Glaring ain’t gonna solve the problem”.

  
She turns and looks up, knowing the voice which had intruded on her at that very moment. Standing in front of her, was Harvey Bullock, wearing his signature fedora and trench coat. “Mind if I sit down?”

Her eyes narrow and she glares at the man. “In fact I do”.

Harvey just tips his hat, scratching his head. “Yeah, kind of figured that. I deserve it a bit”.

“What do you want Bullock?”

The large man seemed to be uncomfortable, but she didn’t give a damn. He’d stood with Loeb. So many had stood with Loeb, and now that Gordon, the focal point of any anti Loeb resistance was dead? Well, everyone fell back into line, enjoying the moment of hope for the department as what it was. 

A glimmering moment.

“Look, you got every reason to hate me” the man begins. “Hell, I can’t stand to look in the mirror most days myself. I...I wasn’t always like this you know” he says, seeming to be fishing for sympathy.

“A fat, corrupt pedazo de mierda?” she asks, spitting disdainfully.

“I don’t even need to know Spanish to know what that means, but yeah. You’re right. I wasn’t always...that. I was like you once” he says, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes focusing on the wall as his mind goes far back into the past. “I wanted to be a good cop. Easier back in those days. Somewhere along the line, it didn’t get so easy, and I guess that’s where you and I differ”.

“When it got hard? I took the easy route. Gave in to Loeb. I was wrong, but ain’t no “I’m sorry” is going to fix it”.

He sighs to himself, and Montoya remains silent, allowing him to keep on. “I liked Jim. He was a good kid, and what happened to him? It’s beyond fucked up. Wrong even. I didn’t want this for him. Hell, if anything, I wanted him to get out of this city and never look back. Now, I can’t fix the past. But I want you to know, I’m in your corner. Even if you don’t want me there. Anyway I can help, you let me know”.

Montoya looks at the man, a glare still on her face. She wanted to scream at him, push him out and tell him what she really thought of him even more so than she had. But...she couldn’t push away a possible ally, even if she wasn’t sure he was really an ally. She’d test him, give him something small but unrelated to the slowly developing case she had against Loeb.

“You want to help? Try to make things right?”

The man just nods.

“Good. Start working on who killed James Gordon AND look for his little girl” she says. Harvey seems nonplussed, and in fact, resolution falls over his face. “Are we sure Barbara isn’t...well, you know” he asks, making an icy hand grip Montoya’s heart.

“Unless we see a body, I wont stop, and if you really care about Jim Gordon, you wont either. Last thing we know when it comes to her whereabouts was she was in that diner. A boy who was eating with her and Jim pulled her to safety, but now we can’t find either of them. I also want you to check for any leads on her mother’s whereabouts or that mad preacher she was seen with. I have a feeling that this is all some evil cult bullshit” Montoya says, feeling a little bit better about talking some actual police work with someone, even if it was Harvey.

The man shakes his head and growls. “Can’t believe a mother would try and have her own daughter killed. Are you sure that’s the case? We got a missing persons report on her and Jimmy’s son too”.

“That’s what witnesses report the gunman as saying, and our survivors say the same thing. They think she’s some holy Mary or something. So work the lead, bring back what you find to me. And keep it away from Loeb, especially if you wanna keep your balls. Comprende?”

“You got it officer Montoya” he says, a little miffed about having to take orders from a simple officer while he was a full blown detective. 

“Good. Now get out of my fucking sight”.

She turns back to her desk, trying to finish the reports she was duty bound to turn in. All stuff that was important, but didn’t seem to have the pressing necessity of finding that poor little girl who was lost in this city. ‘The boy too. Who are you?’ she asks, taking a still out of her desk. It was from the security camera footage and showed the dark haired boy leading a frightened Barbara out of the back of the diner.

A figure’s shadow once again falls over her, and she waves her hand dismissively. “We ain’t friends Harvey. Go do your job and fuck off”.

The figure instead pulls out the other chair and sits down, scraping the legs against the floor. “I was actually hoping we’d be able to at least work together officer”.

The voice didn’t belong to Harvey, and she couldn’t help but be a little shocked. She looks up and lays her eyes on the man for the first time, trying to place him but being unable to. He was wearing a nondescript tan coat and fedora, which he was no in the process of taking off and putting on her desk. He had dark red hair, rugged and chiseled features that she would’ve most certainly found attractive if she swung that way.

“Ohh...I’m sorry sir” she says, trying to remain cordial. “But if there is a crime you’d like to report, or something else you needed, you have to check in with the desk sergeant and wait to be seen” she begins. 

The man ignores her and just reaches down to his side, a bag having been placed on the floor. He opens it wordlessly, and pulls out four manilla folders. Montoya wanted to groan in annoyance at once again seeing the type of folders that had given her so much grief in life already. ‘Ohh God, what now’.

“I heard through my sources that you were having a bit of a problem with blackmail” he says vaguely, though she stiffens at the threat she thought would be implied within. She looks down at folders before looking up fiercely at the man. “And so you thought you’d add to them?”

“On the contrary” he says, his face stony and motionless, like the faces carved into the side of Mount Rushmore. “I’m here to alleviate it”.

She was now very curious, and she reaches her hands out to take the folders, opening them up and gasping as the same photos Loeb had had taken of her were in each one. She quickly closes them and gulps, looking up at the man and waiting for further explanation. “Who...who are you?”

He doesn’t answer that question immediately, and instead he points at the folders. “Those are all of the copies. Even the one in Loeb’s office. He had one placed at city hall, Gotham Bank in a safety deposit box, another under the care of one Carmine Falcone and another in his home safe”.

“And how did you get access to all of these places?” she asks, a little more than shocked at this seemingly random boon of good luck. The man smirks, though it was barely visible, just a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. “That, is the question”.

He continues on though, shrugging before reaching into his pocket and retracting a camera, placing it on the desk atop of the folders. “This is the camera that took the picture. I figured I’d take it with me as a little...souvenier” he explains. “I already destroyed the film. The shutterbug who’s been stalking you is also looking for a new job”.

Renee was shocked at the turn of events, and she turns the camera in her hands over and over. “I...what...why...you didn’t hurt him did you?”

The man just shrugs. “Not physically. It turns out that the man who assisted in your blackmail has a lot of dirty secrets. Secrets his wife would not like to find out about. Unlike him, it’s nearly impossible to take information and the proof of said information, away from me”.

Montoya couldn’t help herself, she chuckled at the thought of some poor schlub being handed pictures of him in a compromising situation. She knew exactly what it felt like, but it would be worse for someone like him. ‘Good. I hope he likes his own medicine’.

Her thoughts drift back to the matter at hand though, and she was left with many more questions than answers. “Who are you? And why are you helping me?”

“Vic Sage. Investigative journalist” he says, leaving it at that. “And you’re a good cop. Possibly the last one left in this department. I’ll be honest, I need your help, and you need mine”.

Montoya continues to look at him, not really knowing what to say. The man was...odd. “Okay, and what kind of “help” would this include?” she asks, deciding to humor him and play along.

“I can go places you can’t, and you can get me information that would be a lot harder for me to get on my own. I want to take down Loeb and the rest too, but only because there is something bigger going on here in Gotham city”.

“Ohh, so another muckraking journalist out for a Pulitzer huh?” she asks, leaning back in her chair, already a little disappointed. He just shakes his head. “No. Actually, I’d prefer it if we keep my name out of this completely. Take all the credit if you want but me? I like to keep a low profile”.

She takes the camera, inspecting it before looking inspecting the man once more. “Spill then. What’s bigger?”

“Can’t tell you. Not yet, but let me just say that things aren’t always what they seem”.

She pinches the bridge of her nose, being thankful but also irritated with the man. “That’s very...vague”.

“Intentionally so” he retorts, making to stand up and replacing his hat on his head. “The less you know right now, the better. Also, you and your lover? I’d suggest keeping the curtains closed from now on”.    
  


She fumes a bit, not liking the constant reminder that she’d been caught. He stands there for a second, not sure of what to do. “Pretty woman. You two look nice together. Good chemistry. I didn’t watch the more private interactions, but you two fit well from a cursory glance of you kissing on a stoop”.

“Woah, how long have you been following me and do I have to throw you in a cell?” she asks, suddenly perturbed. 

“You can, but you wont be able to keep my there. Also, not stalking. Observing. It’s how I was able to make my move on the shutterbug”. Without another word he begins to walk away, but Montoya stops him, a hand on his shoulder. “Wait, what kind of help do you need from me?” she asks, feeling like the man wasn’t allowing her to get any solid footing anywhere.

“Ohh right, silly me. I forgot” he says, turning one last time. “Files. Missing kids. I want the ones that are either cold or closed without resolution, i.e no body. Going back to say...let’s go to 1996. Shouldn’t go back to far. Any more past that date and I don’t think it would be helpful. Focus on missing kids within the East district. Within ten blocks any way of Crime alley”.

“How am I supposed to find you?” she calls out, trying to keep from drawing the attention of the other cops. The man laughs, continuing to walk. “Ohh don’t worry, I’ll find you”.

And like that, he’s gone, having walked out of the precinct and into the street, his collar upturned and the hat pulled over his brow. She sits down, now having time to breath and to process what was going on. She looks back down at the folder, noticing something...interesting. She scoops it up and realizes that one contained more than just the photos of her and Kathy.

She wanted to vomit. The pictures were of Commissioner Loeb, apparently in a hotel, with three women. They were in...various states of undress, and while the women were gorgeous, Loeb? He was a pudgy pile of sweaty cookie dough. She looks away, folding the pictures back in and watching as a note flutters out.

She picks it up, smirking as she reads it. 

_ “I’m a bit of a shutterbug too, but I’d rather take pictures of waterfalls and such”. _

She couldn’t help but agree with her mysterious helper on that, and she leans back in the chair, smiling to herself. She was going to mail these out, and soon. She turns her head, noticing that Loeb and Flass had seen her smiling, and had become curious. He hadn’t found a good way to get rid of her or an excuse to mail out the photos of her, but he had no idea that it was a moot point now.

She had the photos, if Vic Sage was to be believed, and at that moment she had no reason to believe that he was lying, and she had more.

She gives a little wave, smiling all the while which only served to further confuse the men. Loeb glares back at her, not liking the fact of her happiness at all. She continues to wave before sitting back up at her desk, smiling even wider while she brings up the case reports on her computer. ‘Alright, so, 1996? Alright, that’s a tall order but...I’m trusting you...for now’ she thinks, indeed pulling up the case studies and quickly checking down the list. 

‘Ohh boy, I’ll be here all night’.

**_Arkham Asylum, Office of Harleen Quinzel_ **

“I’m fine Bruce, yeah...well...just a little sore from last night” she says, whispering into the phone. Anyone who might have passed by at that moment might assume that she was speaking about lovemaking, but she was really talking about what had happened on their patrol the former night.

They’d busted up a mob drug deal.

It was completely unexpected, and they managed to do it almost all by luck. Well, luck and Bruce’s uncanny knack for observation. They’d been on a routine patrol, looking for signs of the Talons. It was just as shocking for Harley to realize that the myths were true. She’d figured on preparing for odd though, and took to it like water.

She also really liked smashing down through glass ceilings onto mob meetings, scattering them like cockroaches. It had been amazing, easily one of the best nights of her life. 

Fighting besides Bruce? It was like...dancing. She could see and guess at what he would do, and he her. Even when they failed to predict the other, they just moved right along, pretending the misstep never happened. She threw would duck, and he’d punch. She’d kick, he’d throw. It was perfect synchronism.

The mob hadn’t known what hit them.

An anonymous tip to the police was all it took. Montoya managed to get herself and a few other cops refusing to go on Falcone’s payroll there, and well...the money, the known mobsters, the illegal weapons and the drugs? 

It was enough to put them away for a long time.

But Harley had managed to get punched pretty good in the midsection, and she knew there would be bruising and soreness. At the time though, it hadn’t mattered.

She’d been too busy kissing Bruce on the opposite rooftop, watching as the police led the criminals out. 

Even now, the romantic moment was ingrained in her mind, and it brought a smile to her face. “Are you sure?” Bruce asks, genuine concern lacing his voice. She smiles and leans forward on the desk, rolling her eyes. “For the eighth time puddin, yes I’m sure”.

“Hmm”.

She hated that. When he would just make a noise instead of saying something, but it was just one of those quirks. “How’s your day going?” she asks, happy to have a few minutes in her office to speak to the man. “It’s going. The Wayne Enterprises Board wants me to consider branching out into weapons developement. Apparently we’ve been offered a lucrative deal by Lexcorp to purchase an ailing arms company and run it together”.

“I don’t like Luthor” she says, grimacing. Something about the bald billionaire had always rubbed her the wrong way, and she could never accurately put a finger on it. She was good at reading people though and she didn’t want Bruce to have anything to do with the man.

“Neither do I. I vetoed the idea”.

Harley smiles. “That’s my Brucey” she says.

They fall into comfortable silence and she opens her mouth to speak before closing it. The only thing on her mind tumbles out. “I love you”. She was blushing at having spoken it, but she wouldn’t take it back, even if she could.

“I love you too Harleen”. 

She knew he meant it, but she also knew that there was a conversation under pinning all of this. “Bruce...does it...does intimacy bother you?” she asks, hating that she couldn’t help but sometimes lapsing into her role as a psychiatrist, even with the man. “I mean, I….it’s just this conversation has been a long time coming, and maybe we shouldn’t have it over the phone but...I just want you to know, I can be a little forward”.

Bruce chuckles on the other end of the line. “Ohh really?”

“Yeah, really” she says. “What I’m saying is, we couldn’t be more different. Yin and yang kind of stuff. I want you to know that I’m a patient woman. Don’t let me rush you because you feel you have to. I have to phrase this carefully” she stops with a sigh.

“Harley..I don’t...don’t worry about me”.

“Not going to happen puddin. I’ll always worry. Will you stop worrying about me?”

“....No”.

“Just like I thought” she teases, cradling the phone closer to her ear. “You make me happy Harley. Happier than I’ve been in...well, a long time” he chuckles. “That’s what I’m here for”.

Their conversation is interrupted by Doyle, who slams his fist down on the door, practically screaming. “Doc! Doc! We got a problem!”

Harleen’s eyes go wide, and she stands up, fearful of what could be happening. Images of riots and dead patients enter her mind, and she readies herself for all eventualities. “Bruce baby, I gotta go” she says, hanging up abruptly.

She hoped against hope that he wouldn’t show up, but if things got serious, she knew it would be a huge helping hand to have the Batman on deck. She rushes after Doyle, who was now fully booking it into the ward. The security gates were already open, which wasn’t a good sign. But...she didn’t hear any noise.

“Doyle! What’s going on?”

“They’re trying to fucking take Pam!” he shouts. “You gotta stop him. Sharpe and some of his goons showed up. Said that she was being released. Doc, she’s got nowhere to go”

“Ohh shit, Ivy” she mutters, happy that it wasn’t a full blown riot and realizing that Doyle had reacted a little too extreme, but it was still a problem, and one that needed to be addressed quickly. She passes by the rec room, filled with patients who were already nervous from the blur of activity. “Doctor Quinzel?” Jerry calls out nervously, like a little boy seeking his mother.

She keeps walking, fighting to catch up to Doyle’s long strides. She couldn’t stop, not now, but the broken sound of Jerry’s voice did indeed get to her. She waves, smiling and trying to remain confident. “It’s alright Jer-Bear, whatever it is, I’ll take care of it” she calls out, knowing that that wouldn’t soothe the very emotional man much.

She turns into the hallway containing the holding cells, and her eyes settle on the group of men down the hall. Ivy was right in the middle, and she looked positively horrified. “No, no please! Don’t touch my babies!” she calls out, being held by two guards. “What the hell is going on here!” Harleen shouts, fuming while she walks up.    
  
Two men exit the cell, the pots of plants held in their hands. “Ohh yes, I’m afraid those must be disposed of” comes an voice that is instantly recognizable due to the air of aristocratic pretension. “Ahh, Ms. Quinzel. How are you on this fine day?” asks Warden Quincy Sharpe. 

It was at that moment that one of the guards carrying a flower pot stumbles and drops it onto the floor, letting the dirt and ceramic scatter all over. “NOOOO!” Ivy screams out, sobbing loudly. Harleen could see the anger and rage in her friend’s eyes, and her heart went out to her. She knew she couldn’t let her give in though, so she rushes forward and takes Ivy, the guards making to stop her before Doyle draws his billy club.

“Nobody touches the doc!”

His warning was backed up by the arrival of numerous other guards from Harleen’s ward, each threatening Sharpe’s men if they tried to put their hands on the blonde. The men look towards the warden who nods begrudgingly, allowing the green skinned woman to fall in Harleen’s arms, still sobbing.    
  


“Ha..Ha...Harley!!” she cries out, a desperate plea in her voice for her to do something, anything. She rubs the womans back and soothes her, hugging her close before glaring at Sharpe. “Where the fuck do you get off?!! This is my ward, and my patients”.

The older man was nonplussed and simply shrugged. “Ms. Isley is no longer your patient Quinzel” he says, practically sneering. “She’s being released today. A clean bill of mental health”.

Ivy only sobs more, the destruction of her plants and the few personal items she had doing nothing at all to soothe her mental state. “What the hell do you mean? She hasn’t been cleared. As her psychiatrist that’s up to me…”.

“I’m afraid this goes over your head Ms. Quinzel. Ms. Isley is a free woman now. My direct orders have assured that. I assessed her myself and found her to be completely competent. Her heroism the other day has proven that”.

Harley felt like her mind was reeling, and she desperately needed to come up with an answer. ‘Dammit Harleen think, think...wait...wait a minute…’.

She stares at Sharpe who looks back at her, a secure smile on his face. Harleen stands up, slowly bringing Ivy to her feet as well. “I’d like to see Ms. Isley’s medical files” the blonde says. Sharpe smiles, a cruel hateful smile. “I’m very sorry Ms. Quinzel, but as you well know, the files of  _ former _ patients are sealed for their privacy. They cannot be opened unless a subpoena is issued as you are well aware. I’m very sorry” he says, his tone hinting that he was anything but sorry.

Harleen is quiet for a moment, the only sound in the hallway being that of Ivy’s sobs. “So that’s what this is about”.

“Pardon?” 

Harleen doubles down. “Dent’s new proposal. He wants more oversight here, and Ivy’s case is the most high profile. There’s discrepancies in their files, and you want to make sure nobody can get a close look at them” she accuses, the man’s smile beginning to fall and turn to a glare. “That’s why you’re kicking her out. You want to make sure nobody can look. You’re hoping Harvey loses so this becomes a non issue, but even if he doesn’t you are going to rely on judges to block any subpoena aren’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Ms. Quinzel” the warden retorts, dismissive of her entirely as shown by his absolute refusal to call her doctor. “All I know is that Ms. Isley is no longer a patient here at Arkham, and is thus to be escorted from hospital grounds. Unfortunately, she cannot take the flowers as they are hospital property”.

It was cruel, and it was meant to be cruel. They all knew it. “And where is she supposed to go huh? She doesn’t have anybody on the outside. Her family is all in here”.

“I’m afraid that is none of Arkham’s concern. There are programs and such for that are there not?” he asks, drawing laughter from his peons. Harley knew there was no arguing, and she knew that saying anymore or promising retribution would be showing her hand. No. She couldn’t do that. She was going to take this bastard down. 

‘Let him think you’re powerless’ she reminds herself. ‘This little ant wants to think he’s in charge. So, play the begging woman act. It sucks but..for Ivy’.

She lets a defeated look cross her face and continues to coddle the woman in her arms. She looks up back at Sharpe, trying to appear contrite and helpless. “At least let her keep one plant” she pleads. “Please. They’re all she has”.

The man seems to think it over, but eventually he shrugs, snapping his finger and urging one of the guards to bring him one of Ivy’s Juliet roses. It was fortunately still potted, and he hands it off to the woman who grabs it and brings it to her chest like she was cuddling a baby. 

“Is there anything else you need from here Ivy?” Harleen asks, causing the woman to sniffle, stopping only to think quickly. Her eyes shoot open and she gasps, almost lunging towards the cell. Harleen stops her though, keeping her close to avoid any confrontation or damage to anyone. It wouldn’t look good, and with how things were going she knew Sharpe would have Ivy brought to Blackgate.

“My picture. The one Tommy gave me” she says. “Please! I need it..” she begs, reaching out to the cell. “What? This stupid piece of trash?” one of the guards asks, having crumpled it up and thrown it on the floor.

“Sure. Why not? Gives the janitor less shit to clean”.

The guard cruelly laughs, throwing the child’s drawing to the ground before Ivy, who gingerly reaches down to pick it up. She uncrumples it and cries a little harder, though she was happy the drawing was still in tact. Harleen just rubs the side of her face. “It’s okay sweetie. We’ll get a picture frame and smooth that out. It’ll be fine” she promises.

Ivy doesn’t seem to hear her, still clinging to the woman with a desperate strength.

“Now, if there isn’t anything else?” Sharpe asks, indeed feeling that there was nothing else. Everything in Ivy’s cell would be destroyed and there was nothing she could do about it. Not without getting fired and making it certain that she wouldn’t be able to bring the warden down.

“No. There isn’t” Harleen says coldly, turning to help walk the woman down the hall. Doyle and the other sympathetic guards were speechless, and looked on the woman with pity. “Pam...I’m so sorry sweetie” Doyle says, patting her shoulder as she walks by. 

The woman doesn’t acknowledge him, but he doesn’t blame her. This was...beyond traumatic. He was happy that she didn’t lose control though. “Doc, take care of her...alright?” he asks. “If she needs anything, let me or any of the other guys know. We’ll be there”.

Harleen just flips them a thumbs up, needing to focus on calming down Ivy. The two disappear from view, moving past the security gate and into the main atrium. It was unclear where Harley was taking her, but they did know it would be okay.

Doyle turns his attention to the warden, wanting to kill the corrupt little man right now. “Standing there in your fancy suit. Bald head. Old piece of shit” he begins. “You think you’re something here? You ain’t. Just a weak old fuck trying to hold onto power he never even had”.

The warden tils his chin up and glares. “Officer Doyle, you and your men will be cleaning Poison Ivy’s cell. Discard of the rubbish. Good day”. With that he turns, moving down the hallway with his leering and jeering lackeys in tow. Doyle, to tell the truth, was relieved. He turns his head to address the detail. “Alright, Johansen, Thomas? Get back to the rec room and the main gate. Everything is fine but make sure it stays that way. The rest of you? Lets gather up Pam’s stuff. There’s some extra pots in the storage room. Get those so we can replant the ones we can save. Alright, let’s hurry”.

**_Outside the Asylum_ **

Her pay would be docked for leaving early, but right now? She could care less. She instead focuses on opening the door and helping Ivy in, reaching over to put the seatbelt on her. She was in a completely raw emotional state, and there was no telling what could happen if Harleen wasn’t here.

She sat, only light sobs escaping from her lips as she cradles the house plant close to her chest, rocking back and forth. “It’s going to be just fine” she calms her, moving into the driver seat and glaring up at Arkham. “I’m going to call Bruce real quick sweetie. He’ll know what to do”. 

In truth, she wanted to covertly inform him that their job was to now make sure that Warden Sharpe, wouldn’t remain warden for long. She picks up her phone and dials, the man picking up as soon as the first ring tone is heard. “Harleen, is everything okay?” he asks, the slight tone of worry that undercuts his voice making her smile. 

“Bruce...everything is fine. Nobody is hurt but...they’ve kicked Pamela out of Arkham” she explains. “What? Why?”

“I have a feeling I know, but I can’t talk about it right now” she says, hinting that they’d speak on it that night, in the cave. “I have to take Ivy to my apartment. Sure it’ll be a little cramped but…”

“And what will she do when we’re working?” he asks, the thought having not occurred to her before. She turns her head and looks at the woman, sighing as she knows that she couldn’t be left alone. Before she can even suggest something, Bruce has the answer.

“She can stay at the manor”.

  
“Bruce…” she asks, a little shocked. “Are...are you sure?”

“Yes. If anything I have more rooms than I’ve ever even set foot in, and Alfred needs someone to mother over. She can get the right help here while we figure out what’s going on at Arkham”.

She leans in more, whispering in the hopes that Ivy was too wrapped up in her sadness to notice. “I already know, but we’ll talk later”.

“Hmm”.

Again...she absolutely hated that.

“Bruce, thank you so much. I can’t explain it but, Pamela is my best friend. I want to help her”.

“I thought I was your best friend” he says, causing her to worry before realizing that he was teasing her. It was another thing she had to get used to. Bruce becoming much less intense, more prone to smile. “Best friends don’t kiss” she teases.

“I’ll see you soon”.

“I love you Bruce”.

“I love you too Harleen”.

As ended the call, she couldn’t help but smile. She’d never get tired of hearing those words from his lips. She sighs, turning the key in the ignition and starting her car. “Pam...Pam” she says, gaining the woman’s attention. She turns her head, the shattered look in her eyes was more than her friend could take. 

“Yeah?” she asks cautiously.

“You’re going to be okay. Bruce...Bruce has an extra room for you” she says, trying to fight the blush that broke out on her face at the mention of her boyfriend. She didn’t know why, but around Ivy, she couldn’t help it. She always expected teasing.

She wasn’t disappointed this time either.

“Great” Ivy sniffles, wiping a tear from her eye while reaching down to gently stroke the petals of her last remaining rose. “I get to watch you two suck face all day now”.

Harley couldn’t help but laugh uproariously, and she was so happy for it. “Aww come on Pam” she teases, nudging her friend in the side. “Maybe you can pick up some pointers watching us”.

“Eww”.

“Bruce knows just where to touch me. He does this thing with his fingers where he just barely touches my side, teasing me, before going right down to my butt and…”.

“Lalala not listening” Pamela says, pretending to block her out. Harley was just all too happy to be able to calm her friend down. ‘I promise Pam. I wont let you be forgotten. Not by this city, not by fucking Sharpe. You’re going to make it. No slipping through the cracks for you’.

With this final thought, she puts her little red honda civic into drive, and advances on the front gates of Arkham, the guard opening them as soon as she is close to let her through. 

**_The Narrows_ **

“Hehehehe”

“What’s so funny kid?” a bum asks, sitting by an open flame and watching as the young boy in tattered dirty clothes comes nearer. Abandoned dirty kids were not a rare thing to see here, but what was frightening was the fact of the young boy’s green hair and pure white skin. 

“Woah, holy crap. Kid...you okay?” the bum asks, moving up a bit to see if there was anything he could do.

“I’m looking for my dad” the boy says simply, the chuckles still escaping his lips. “I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten” he says. This strikes at the bum’s heart, and he rifles around in the small bag he carried with him. “Damn kid...well...I don’t have much, but here you go” he says, reaching in and pulling out a swiped thing of fig newtons. He puts his hand out to the boy, offering him what he had.

He just continues to laugh, reaching into his pocket. Before the bum could even understand or realize what was happening, the boy reaches out and jabs a sharp knife into his wrist, cutting through tendons and veins with ease.

The man howls in pain, falling back and screaming. “What the fuck? Why? What the fuck?” he says on repeat, looking up in horror as the boy falls on him, continuously jabbing him with the knife. The pain comes hot and fast, seemingly from everywhere. “Ohh god...ohh...god” the bum gurgles out, bleeding from every wound. 

“Never!” Dick says, interrupting each word with another stab as if to punctuate his point.

“TAKE!”. A jab to the chest

“CANDY!” Another to the shoulder

“FROM!” One to the neck which seems to finally finish the man.

“STRANGERS!!!”

He sits there above the corpse, panting and trying to collect himself before he gingerly reaches out and picks up the fig newtons.

He stands, whistling to himself while he replaces the knife in his pocket. The boy was covered in gore, courtesy of the dead man who was now behind him. He opens the pack and begins to eat, whistling while continuing his journey.

“Better go find papa Joker” he chuckles to himself, shoving one of his newfound treats into his mouth. “He’ll know what to do!”

**_Wayne Manor_ **

“Master Bruce, are you sure this is a good idea? Yet another person in our home?” Alfred asks, trying to move after the man as he advances on the front door. “I..I don’t know. What I do know is that Harleen asked for our help, and...well”.

“Hmmph. No. YOU offered to let her come here, without Ms. Quinzel’s prompting” the Englishman says. Bruce just frowns and looks away, knowing that to be true. He couldn’t explain it to Alfred, but Harleen had a special effect on him. One that just made him want...he couldn’t explain it, and right now, he didn’t want to.

Harleen would be there soon with Pamela, and knowing the kind of state the woman would be in? He didn’t want to make this worse.

He opens the door and steps out onto the front steps, waving as Harley’s car pulls up into the driveway. “And pray tell Master Bruce, how are we going to keep your secret from yet another woman in the house?” he asks from the corner of his mouth, maintaining a neutral expression otherwise as to not frighten the guest.

Harley stops the car and steps out, waving with a wide smile. “Bruce, Alfred!” she shouts out in greeting, moving to the opposite side of the car. 

Bruce waves back, beginning to walk down the steps. “That’s your job Alfred” he says with a sigh. He moves off to the car, leaving the older man behind him to let out a sigh of his own. “I live to serve Master Bruce” he says, wanting to see if Ms. Quinzel had any bags or items to bring in. 

Harleen opens the door, allowing Pamela to step out, still holding her flower. She looks up at the architecture of Wayne manor, a little shocked by how sharp and contrasting it was. Bruce walks up to Harley who hugs him close, the two sharing a chaste kiss. Pamela looks away, rolling her eyes. “Bruce...thank you”.

He just nods down at her, the two saying more than they could ever say with their mouths by just looking into each other’s eyes.

After a little while, Bruce disentangles himself, remembering the presence of Pamela. “Ahh, Ms. Isley. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m…” he says, extending his hand.

“Bruce Wayne. Harleen’s boy toy. Trust me I know everything about you” she says, looking down at his extended hand like it was a foreign glyph before gesturing to the flower pot in her hands. It dawns on Bruce and he drops his hand. “Ohh sorry, would you like me to get tha…” he begins, reaching out. Ivy steps out of his reach, a nervous expression playing out around her face. “No!” she snaps, surprising the man for a moment. 

“No, thank you” she begins again, much more respectfully. Bruce just smiles and nods. “I understand. Harleen told me you enjoy plants. Or perhaps I’m putting it a little too flippantly” he says.

Ivy couldn’t help but laugh. 

Flippant indeed fit the description of her “enjoying” plants. “Yeah a little” she says, having already liked the man before meeting him but finding that Harley wasn’t exaggerating. “This is one of the Juliet roses...the ones you bought me. Thank you”.

He waves his hand, dismissing the thanks. “Don’t mention it. Harleen asked me, and I wanted to help” he says, his face hardening. “I heard about what Sharpe did. I’m so sorry. I’m going to get to the bottom of this. I promise” he explains. 

“Thank you but...just...thank you. For everything. I really don’t have a place to go” she says, not wanting to think about what had happened at the asylum.

“Well, Wayne manor welcomes you. We already have a room set up for you. Alfred” he calls out, the man moving up. “Yes Master Bruce?” he asks, pretending to simply be the deferential butler.

“Please show Ms. Isley to her room” he says. 

“Of course Master Bruce. This way madam”.

“Can I...can I bring my rose?”

“I don’t see why not. I shall also have some water brought up to feed the little fellow” the man says, instantly gaining Ivy’s like. She quickly turns back to Harleen who smiles at her. “Don’t worry sweetie. I’ll be right there” she says.

The green skinned woman is placated by this, and begins to follow Alfred up the stairs. When they are out of sight, ensconced in the manor, she turns to Bruce and sighs. “I...I’ll get some clothes for her. I’ll be back tonight to work and see her, and in the morning. Damn. That drive across town isn’t going to be…”

“You could move in” he says, not believing that the words had escaped his mouth.

Harleen herself was just as slack jawed. Bruce was quick to try damage control. “If..if you wanted of course. It would make a lot of things easier” he says, hinting that he wasn’t just talking about treating and caring for Ivy. “Ohh...huh...this is...a big step. And not just for us” she explains, looking up at him.

She reaches out, rubbing his cheek lovingly. “It’s also a big step for you. Inviting someone new into your life. Is that something you’re ready for Bruce?” she asks. 

He places his own hand over hers, rubbing it. “Yes”.

“Are you sure? Because once you let me in, I’m a termite” she warns with light tinkling laughter. “I’ll inevitably put my own touches on the place. You might get angry and throw me out”.

  
He shakes his head to the negative. “I’m sure. And I think this old place could use a woman’s touch” he says.    
  


Harleen just smiles even wider and leans up to kiss him again. “Are we moving too fast?” she asks, wanting to hear it from his lips if they were. She was confident and sure of herself, but she wanted to ensure that Bruce was just as secure. “No..maybe...yes, but I don’t care. Do you?”

“No”.

Bruce smirks back, wrapping his arms around her midsection and cradling her lithe body to his. “Then we’re at the right speed for us” he says, reaching into his pocket and taking out his wallet. He opens it, removing a few hundred dollar bills and placing them in Harleen’s hand. “Get her some clothes and whatever you need yourself. We can pack up the rest of your stuff at your apartment this weekend”.

“Bruce I don’t need your mon…”

“Shh. Just let your rich boyfriend spoil you” he teases, moving into her neck to kiss and suckle at her pulse point. Harleen moans, her own hand moving to the back of his neck, urging him on. “Ohh Bruce...you make a convincing case.

She was finding it hard to separate from the man, but eventually she does, urging herself on into her car and back into the city. “Alfred and I will make sure Pamela is okay until you get back” he shouts. “Okay!” she calls back. 

She wanted to get into the city and out, quick as possible, back to the cold manor which was quickly becoming much warmer.

It was her home now.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of updates yesterday. I wanted to get my 13th chapter for this out on Halloween but I've been dealing with some death in the family lately and just being a little down. It might show in this chapter not being that great so let me know if this one was good or not guys. More of a filler chapter. I want things to move along faster but I don't know if you guys would like that. Give me a heads up on how you think the pace of the story is. Thank you!

**_Gotham Industrial District_ **

“Barbara, that wont work!” Jason says exasperatedly, throwing his arms out to the side. The redhead was refusing to budge though, and she just crossed her arms and huffed petulantly. “It might. He seems like a nice man. He hasn’t yelled all day” she retorts, feeling as if that settled the argument completely.

Jason slaps his face in frustration.

“That doesn’t mean he’s just going to give us food!”

“We can ask. Isn’t that a little better than stealing?”

“Barbara I…”

“Pleasssse?” she asks, her eyes wide and pleading. She reaches out and takes his hand, holding it in her own. He hated that they were both just as dirty now. He’d tried to help keep Barbara as clean as possible, but dirt existed in abundance in Gotham. Dirty alleys, dirty brick and dirty people.

‘I guess we’re just two more’ he says, reluctantly grasping that fact. “Barbara, it wont work. I’m telling you. A street vendor isn’t going to give us food”.

“Let me try for one day okay?” she says, deciding to try to make a deal. “We’ll ask a whole bunch of them. If only one says yes or each gives us a little something we’d have enough to eat right?”. The logic was there, and Jason was starting to feel the pangs of hunger and he hadn’t been able to get anything the previous day. He knew Barbara was hungry too, which was why he was even considering this up until now ludicrous act.

He looked at his best friend and knew that the stealing had been getting to her. She didn’t understand that he needed to do it to ensure they both survived. She was good and he didn’t think he was. She didn’t understand, and maybe he didn’t either, but even at that young age, he’d do anything to make sure she was safe and he’d try his hardest to make her happy. “Jason, you’ve been getting us food for a long time. Let me try and get some for you”. 

He looked at her, those deep blue eyes filled with childlike naivete and trust, even with what had happened to her father. He couldn’t deny her, and if it didn’t work? Well, he could always steal some later. “Alright, alright” he says before something occurred to him. “But what if they know we’re alone? What if they call the cops and they take us away?” he asks, the thought worrying him.

  
Barbara thinks on that, having not let it occur to her before. But, she was the brains of the duo, and she would have a plan. She snaps her fingers and smiles. “I know! We’ll say we’re a brother and sister. We can pretend to be neglected”.

Jason nods, knowing all about how to play being neglected. It was a role he didn’t even have to act to pull off. 

“Alright. It could work. Pity and all. Alright, but if anything goes wrong, you take my hand and we run. You understand? You don’t let go. No matter what” he says, remaining firm on this due to the fear of getting separated from the girl.

“Yes. I promise. Never let go” she says, indeed keeping a firm grasp on the boy’s hand. He nods, and gestures for the two to start moving. “Alright Barbara...you’re up”. She just smiles in return, pulling the two closer to the street vendor who doesn’t notice their approach at first. “Hello sir!” Barbara says politely, too politely to be a full on street kid. Jason wants them to run away, feeling that it was already botched.

The man turns, reminding him a lot of Larry the hot dog guy, which was something that he wasn’t prepared for. ‘Ohh crap...hope he’s not like Larry’.

He seemed rude and ornery already, wearing a greasy white apron and a stained flat cap atop his head. He was white, with a scruffy beard and he couldn’t have been older than his late thirties. At the sight of Barbara though he seems to pause, and his eyes soften. He still spoke gruffly.

“What do you want kid? Pretzels are two bucks”.

Barbara just frowns and looks at Jason before winking and turning back to the man. “I...I don’t have any money” she says, pulling the little boy forward. “We don’t have any money”.

“Ahh...well, that’s too bad” the man says, seeming somewhat discomforted as he scratched the back of his head. “We just wanted to ask, if maybe you had any stale ones you were going to throw out?” Barbara continues in a hopeful tone. “Maybe even some broken off crumbs or parts that nobody would buy. We’re very hungry and any bit counts”.

“I...I’m sorry little girl but...I got kids too. I can’t give stuff away. And besides, I don’t got nothin’ like that anyways”.

Barbara’s eyes fall, and she looks like she’s about to cry. Jason knew this wasn’t an act like another kid might’ve pulled. Barbara wasn’t like that. 

“Okay. We understand. Thank you sir. Bye” she says, trying to be cheerful and urge herself onto the next stand, already feeling like her plan was stupid and doomed to failure. They get a few steps and are stopped by the man shouting out to them.

“Wait...dammit...shit...alright, alright. Come here” he says, urging them back. The two children couldn’t believe their stroke of luck, and Jason was looking at Barbara like she was an angel. “I’ve uhh...got a few old ones. Not real old, still warm and crunchy and all but, I probably really shouldn’t be selling them” the man says, reaching down to grab a small cardboard box before filling it with a few pretzels. 

Barbara was looking at them like a gift from the heavens, and Jason was licking his lips, fighting the urge to reach out and grab them. But, he manages to wait for the man to hand it off to Barbara. The redhead looks up at him thankfully, smiling ear to ear. “Thank you so much sir! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she says.

She hands the box to Jason and rushes forward, hugging the man’s legs tightly. He seemed to be slightly discomforted by this, but eventually he reaches down and pats her shoulder. “Hey, it’s just some stale pretzels” he says. Barbara believed it was a whole lot more than just that though. 

She releases him and latches her hand back onto Jason, smiling up at him and causing him to look away, a little embarrassed. Barbara had been right, and he’d been wrong. She senses this though and squeezes his hand, bringing him back to the present. It was amazing, how young they were yet still able to communicate complicated ideas to each other.

“You guys have something to drink?” the man asks, seemingly worried. “Well, we have some water from the fountains my the train tracks” she says happily, as if that were some form of accomplishment. Her face falls. “They turn them off at night though so we try and gather some up in the morning. 

The man’s face turns solid and he shakes his head. Soon, he ducks back into his cart and into the cooler at his feet. He retracts four bottles of water and deposits them into the box. “Here. Just...look. Every Friday, I refresh my stock. The pretzel business ain’t so good nowadays” he says, a little guiltily. “So I hold onto stock longer than I probably should. Don’t tell anyone” he says, more as a joke than anything else. 

  
After all, who would they tell?   
  


Barbara though, she takes his request as a solemn oath and nods her head, crossing her heart. The vendor smiles before continuing. “Anyway, just...come back around then and I’ll give you whatever is left” he says.

Barbara smiles again and nods, thanking him once more. “Than…” she begins before he cuts her off.

“Listen….I was a street kid too. I get it. Names Mario. I...I had a little girl. She looked a lot like you” he says, resisting the urge to reach out and touch Barbara’s face. The man turns and waves his hand, making to close up his stand. “Head home, or wherever it is you guys sleep. You gonna be warm?”

“Uhhmm. Jason got us as many blankets and pillows as we need” she says excitedly, causing the boy to blush under her praise. The man just grunts in acknowledgement. “You take care of her boy” he warns. 

“I will”.

Something about the way the man spoke made him defiant, and he hated to be told to do what he was already doing. He takes Barbara’s hand, and leads them away, the little red head looking back over her shoulder to wave at the kind man. 

“Thank you Mario! We’ll see you soon!”

Mario waves back, hoping he would indeed see them again. He wanted to call the cops, have them taken away. But...he was a superstitious man, and those two? They had the mark of people already bound on the path fate had in store for them. 

Still...he hoped to see them Friday. He’d make sure to save a good amount of pretzels for them.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

The sun had only just started to peak through the gap in the curtains, landing right in Harley’s eyes. First she squinted, nuzzling into Bruce’s chest more and more to avoid the harsh rays of an abnormally bright Gotham sunrise. 

She gives up though, and slowly opens her eyes, trying to blink away the tiredness. She moves up in bed, wincing as her side is caught in the upward movement, causing her bruise to be hit. “Ow” she says neutrally, sitting up in bed and trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. 

Slowly she does, and she runs her hands through her hair smoothing the loose strands back into place. ‘Gonna be hell getting it back into a bun today’ she thinks to herself. She turns her head and smiles down at who she sees.

‘Bruce’.

Her hand reaches out, caressing the side of his face and enjoying the light stubble that was growing there. She knew he’d probably shave today, but she loved when he didn’t. 

The man had been exhausted, last night having been particularly rough on the both of them. An explosion, courtesy of a toy obsessed lunatic calling himself “The Mad Bomber”, had almost destroyed the batmobile. 

Bruce had seen the threat coming and managed to shield Harley’s body with his own. Still, they were thrown a good ten feet by the explosion resulting in numerous cuts and bruises that Alfred had been fuming about when they returned to the cave that night. 

Much had been dropped on the man, and it made Harleen guilty. Not only had he taken to being their combat medic, he also had to clean the manor, cook and now look after Pamela while Harleen was out as Batwoman. It had come naturally to the man though, and he was happy underneath it all. 

She could tell.

And she was too.

From the first day she’d been asked to move into Wayne Manor, she couldn’t stop thinking about how easily her and Bruce melded together. On the one hand, the first night had been a little strange. After she had gotten what she needed for Pamela and a few things for herself, she returned to the manor to find an already sleeping Ivy.

She made sure her room was good enough for her before setting off on patrol, thanking Alfred of course for making Pamela so welcome.

While the days events had been so volatile, the patrol hadn’t been. It was rather quiet actually. The two had time to think and talk a bit, and the ride back to the manor had been awkward as well. But that night? Deciding certain things? Had been the strangest ever.

_ “So...which room is mine?” she’d asked the man half teasingly, half seriously, the two sneaking out of the bat cave through the hidden entrance at the grandfather clock.  _

_ They had both changed into civilian clothes, making ready to go to their respective rooms and change into their night clothes. Bruce seemed to be a little confused by the question, and he turned to Harleen and said, “I thought, perhaps you might like to share mine with me”. _

The question had rocked Harley’s world, and the man must’ve mistook her reaction as an unwillingness, or an answer to the negative and had made to correct it. Harley though? She was anything but unwilling.

In fact, she’d quieted his fears by stepping forward and kissing him on the lips. “I’d love to puddin”.

And so started what she called the domestic phase of their relationship. Her essentials were moved into the master bedroom and she stood in front of his mirror brushing her hair. They both smiled at each other, nervous as newlyweds at sharing something as, up until now private for both of them, pre bed routine. She watched him slip into pajama bottoms, and he watched her slip into her plain red night dress. When they both moved into the bed, they maintained a few feet distance from each other, each gripping the blanket and looking at the ceiling.

Harley began to laugh, unable to help it. 

“What’s so funny?” he asked, turning in the bed. “Ohh, well..us I guess. We’re acting silly. We’ve seen each other in the buff, and did the two backed monster. Why are we worried about cuddling?”

Bruce just smiled and pulled her into his side and the blonde nuzzled into the man happily. After a few weeks of this? It had all worked out fine. Better than fine. 

“If we can jump off buildings together, fight crime, make love? Why can’t we share a bed?” she asks herself, chuckling at the notion of that being the thing that makes them move too fast instead of all the others.

Bruce begins to wake up, and as his eyes open, the first thing he sees is Harley looking down at him as she leans over his body. 

A smile is instantly on his face.

“Morning”.

“Mornin’ puddin’” she says right back, pressing her lips against his lovingly. 

His arm reaches out, taking her waist as they gently turn in bed, both still wincing from the night’s exertions and wounds. Neither cared and her hands moved up and down the man’s chiseled body, enjoying how she was starting to know every single inch like the back of her hand. 

She moans, Bruce having reached up to cup her breast through the nightie she wore, all the while burying his face in her neck. “Bruce” she moans, urging him on while he uses his hand, placed palm down to support him above her. 

A knock on the door interrupts them, and Bruce groans out, rolling his eyes. Harley was just as disappointed, knowing that a long bout of soft lovemaking was coming up for them. “Umm...hello?” she called out, still awkward around Alfred who seemed to just smirk at the two whenever he saw them nowadays.

“Bruce, Harleen? Are you in there?” Pamela calls out, a bit of nervousness creeping into her own voice. She had gotten better while living at Wayne manor, but she was still not quite over the trauma in the asylum. Bruce and Harleen had both been very careful and attentive in trying to help her, but Pamela was mostly helping herself.

“Yes sweetie. Is everything okay?” Harley calls out, kissing Bruce’s cheek before he moves off of her onto his side of the bed, smiling good naturedly. “Yes” the green skinned woman calls out. “Alfred just wanted me to tell you that breakfast is ready”.

“Okay Red, we’ll be right down!”

“Okay!”

They hear the woman move away from the door and look at each other, descending into good natured laughter at their predicament. Harley rests her head on Bruce’s shoulder, still chuckling. “Cock blocked by my best friend. Doesn’t get worse”.

Bruce rubs her back, enjoying the soft material that barely covers her equally soft skin. “You didn’t tell me that we’d essentially be adopting her” he teases, earning him a swat on the shoulder and then a groan. “Well, at least it’s good practice for if we ever have a daughter”.

The words send them both stock still, even Harley not believing the words that had fallen out of her mouth. She backs up a bit, keeping her hands on Bruce, and looks at him nervously. He himself had a deer in head lights expression on his face. “Bruce...I...well, that just tumbled out!” she says, wanting to do some damage control. 

Bruce brings himself back in and nods, trying to think of the right words to say. “Hey, umm, well it’s okay” he explains pausingly. “When...I mean if, if..” he corrects, the faux paus getting picked up on instantly by Harleen’s who heart uncontrollably swoons at the statement. “I never thought about having kids” he admits, trying to change the subject, if only slightly.

“Really?” she asks, a little bit more than intrigued. “Yeah. I guess I just got wrapped up in...well..my plans. I never planned on anyone special coming into my life. Not anyone special enough to consider marrying and starting a family with. But...over time, things change. Life is rarely as expected” he says, idly stroking her cheek with his thumb.

Harley felt like one massive nerve, and Bruce was sending all the sparks right into her very core. She could barely keep from shaking. “I...always saw myself becoming a mom”.

“You seem the mothering type”.

“Thanks” she says, a wide smile at the compliment. “I guess I got that from my mother. She really loves us, me and my brother. Though...he kind of went his own way. Doesn’t talk to any of us anymore. I wanna be mad, but I don’t blame him. Breaks mom’s heart though”.

Bruce just lets her talk, knowing that her childhood hadn’t been good. 

“I hate that fucker” she says, unable to stop the tears that flow from her eyes at the thought of the man who fathered her. Bruce brings her into his arms instantly, holding her tight like he never intended to let her go. She latched on with equal fervor, sobbing into his chest. “Shhh...Harleen. It’s okay. It’s okay”.

“She tried Bruce” she says. “She tried so hard to keep us happy and safe, but how can you when a monster lives in your own house?” she asks. Bruce just keeps trying to comfort her. “It’s okay” she says, calming herself down and trying to dry her tears. “It’s okay. He’s dead. He’s gone” she says to herself. 

“But your mother isn’t” Bruce interjects, surprising the woman who hadn’t expected him to say that. She looks up at him curiously, waiting for him to go on, which he does. “She isn’t. She still lives in Gotham and it’s clear that maybe you have some issues to work out with her. Maybe you can go and talk with her, about why she stayed with your father. Be openly as honest and truthful about how you feel as you can”.

She looks up at him and shakes her head. “So you want me to go confront my mom on why she let my dad beat me and my brother and sister around? Steal our money? Force us to work to support his drinking habits?”

“Only if you think it’ll help you”.

The blonde seems to think it over, her mind trying to wrap around exactly what all that would mean. It was a part of her past that she kept secret, hidden. Buried even within her own subconscious most times. She shakes her head. “She tried, you know?” she begins tepidly. “We didn’t have much money but she tried. She’d play with us and teach us things, tuck us in. I can’t tell you how many beatings she took to protect us” Harleen says with a nervous laugh. “Then she deserves a chance, but she also deserves your honesty Harleen” Bruce begins.

She hugs him close and nods, knowing he was right. “When did you become such an expert on emotional openness?” she teases. “When I fell in love with you”.

The answer was so open, honest and uniquely Bruce in that it was delivered with such stereotypical male obtuseness that she almost couldn’t take it. “I love you so much puddin’” she says, giving him one final kiss before moving out of the bed. Bruce watches, a wry smile on his face while she pulls her nightie off near the dresser they’d brought from her apartment. She bends over, giving him a perfect view of her rear end, something he shamelessly ogles.

She turns, having finally taken out the shirt and pants she’d wear for the day, and blushes at seeing Bruce staring so openly at her. “Bruce!” she says, turning and covering her butt. “What?”

“I’m not ready for you to ogle yet”.

“So? You look gorgeous already” he teases right back, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and stretching, getting ready to get dressed himself. Another knock on the door interrupts them once again. “Harleen? Alfred is getting irritated. He always stress cleans when he’s irritated and he’s wiping down the toaster. Get down here”.

“Alright alright, sheesh. Keep your pants on Red, we’re coming” she shouts back, slipping into her jeans and buttoning them up. 

“Alright, but don’t try and delay it with screwing Bruce. He wont accept that excuse”.

“Stoooop” she says, uncomfortable of any reference to Alfred knowing anything about the two of them being intimate. She didn’t know why, but she very much felt like a little girl whenever Alfred spoke to her in that fatherly tone of his, or helped her with something involving the batsuit. Oftentimes she’d find herself just washing dishes beside the old man, letting him talk about whatever it is he wanted to. Mostly his life in England or Bruce’s childhood. He’d talk to her though as well. Share theories, let her talk about her past and gave her advice.

She was quickly coming to see him as a father figure, and the last thing she wanted to have thrown in his face was the fact that she was screwing the man he raised like a son, to hell and back practically every other night.

“We’re coming. Relax” she calls back, Bruce already being dressed and moving behind her, helping her pull the sweater down over her upper body. She smiles over her shoulder at him, realizing that Ivy’s concerns for her not getting downstairs because of Bruce were warranted. She places her hands over his own, turning her head back to look at him. “Thanks” she says, for more than just helping her with the sweater.

“Don’t mention it”.

“When I call my mom...do you think it would be okay for me to introduce her to my boyfriend?” she asks, wanting to know what Bruce thought of it seeing as their relationship had, shockingly, been kept out of the tabloids this long. “I think it’s a good idea” he says in response. “Kind of getting tired of hiding this. I was actually going to ask you, I have yet another fundraiser next weekend. I’d like to announce you as mine then” he says.

‘Mine!’ she coos out mentally, the word sending pleasurable shivers up her back. She grasps his hand, walking them towards the bedroom door. “We better get downstairs before Alfred has Pamela break down the door” she teases as she turns the knob and pulls them out into the hallway. 

“But yes. I’d like that”.

**_Outside Wayne Manor, A Few Minutes Later_ **

Harvey was nervous. He didn’t really know why. He was a politician after all, as much as he hated it. Asking for money was just part and parcel of that job. Still...he didn’t want to. And he especially didn’t want to ask the man he was about to ask for it.

He reaches out, ringing the doorbell.

He wasn’t long in waiting, and Alfred opens the door, looking somewhat irritated until his eyes land on Harvey. He smiles and bows slightly. “Ahh, Mr. Dent. Good morning” he says good naturedly. “To what do we owe the pleasure? Please come in, we were just sitting down to breakfast. You are welcome to join us” he says.

Harvey reaches up, removing his hat and smiling. “Hello Alfred. Umm..thank you. Yes, is Bruce home?”

The butler seems to notice his nervousness and ushers the man in. “Of course. Of course. We are all eating in the dining room” he explains. Harvey removes his hat and coat, placing them on the coat rack he had already come to know so well.

“Thank you Alfred” he says, moving off to the kitchen, the butler in tow. “Is everything alright Mr. Dent? You don’t look well” the man begins, but is unable to get an answer as they have already advanced into the dining room.

“Good morning Bruce. Harleen and…” he begins, stopped for a moment by the presence of Pamela. “Ohh..” he says simply, staring at the increasingly embarrassed woman who seems to visibly shrink into herself. “You must be Ms. Isley” Harvey says, nervous but now for a completely different reason.

“Yes” she responds a little meekly. Harley just looks over at her and smiles, deciding on getting some payback. She stands, pushing her chair back and practically pulling a quietly protesting Ivy over to the man. “Hiya Harvey! Long time no see!” Harleen teases, hugging the man tightly with one arm while keeping the squirming Ivy near her in the other arm. Harvey finds the view strange but doesn’t move, trying to keep his eyes from constantly shifting to Pamela.

Bruce himself was just sitting back, enjoying the discomfort his friend was experiencing and seeing it as payback for his interruption at the party and the phone call.

Harley pushes Ivy forward, introducing her to the man. “And yup! This is my best buddy Red! Say hi to the nice DA who stuck up for the both of us Red” she teases, stepping away and leaving the two close as if she was urging on a child to be polite. 

“Umm..hello Mr. Dent...and thank you” she says simply, her blush even more visible due to the color of her skin. She looks away rubbing her upper arm while Harvey coughs, trying to hide his nervousness. “Ohh well….of course. Of course. Thank you for..saving that woman and her son in the park. You’re a hero”.

  
Pamela laughs a bit, shrugging. “Well, I just did what everyone else in Gotham would’ve done” she says.

“We both know that’s not true”.

They both share a hearty laugh at that, and Bruce and Harleen share a look with Alfred before reaching out for their filled coffee mugs, almost in sync, and sipping, still watching them over the brim of their cups.

“That’s a very pretty dress Pamela” Harvey says before wincing. “You don’t mind if I call you…”

“Oh God please, yes” Ivy says, brushing it off. “I hate it when people call me Ms. Isley or even Poison Ivy. I didn’t come up with that by the way. The papers did when I was arrested for breaking into the florist’s shop”. She seemed to show no concern over her very slight criminal record and for his part Harvey didn’t either.

“The papers did, seeing me as a freak to write about I guess. Hey, is there any way I can sue them? Defamation of character and such?” she asks. Harvey thinks it over seriously, mulling it around in his mind. “Well, I usually don’t handle civil suits, but I do need to fill in a bit of pro bono work. So if you wanted a lawyer I could help…”

‘Stupid. Fucking idiot. Why did you even say that? Freak’ the voice chimes in in his head, though Harvey doesn’t have time to listen. He was too intent on looking at Pamela and trying to steady his nerves. ‘Ohh god, he’s right. Why did I ask that?’

Pamela smiles up at him and chuckles. “Any money in it you think?”

He couldn’t help himself. The way she phrased it. It was just too cheeky. “I’m sure. I’d love to take the editor of the Gotham Gazette down a peg or two. He hasn’t been exactly kind or fair to my campaign but freedom of the press means they have the freedom to manipulate whatever they want” he says.

Her face softens and she nods, indeed understand how that could feel. She reaches out and places her hand on his shoulder. “I...uhh….also wanted to thank you. For the Arkham thing and the files and...well..you know”.

He felt like his heart was beating a million miles a minute, and he didn’t know what to say. “I’m...you’re welcome. I wish I could do more. I’m really sorry about what happened at the asylum. I can assure you, I’m looking into it. You deserved better”.

Her eyes widen and she keeps looking at him, causing the man to realize he might have made a slip. “Well, all the patients deserve better! Is what I was saying I...well, that’s actually part of why I came here today. I wanted to speak to Harleen about doing something at the asylum” he says, glad to have a way out of the uncomfortable situation. 

“Is it okay if I sit?” he asks Bruce who nods, laughing aloud.

“Harvey, we’ve been friends since we were in diapers. Cut the crap and sit down. Don’t let a pretty face get you all turned around” he says, causing Harley to laugh into her coffee cup, almost spitting it out. She puts her hand up for a high five, which Bruce eagerly returns. Even Alfred can’t suppress the smirk that crosses his lips. 

Harvey and Pamela both blush heavily, but take back to their seats with Pam picking at her eggs. Alfred slips right back into his role as butler though, and moves over to Harvey. “Would you like something to eat Mr. Dent?”

“Ohh no thank you Alfred...umm...well..perhaps a cup of coffee?” he asks.

“Milk no sugar?”   
  


“You know me too well Alfred”.

“Of course sir” the butler says, moving off into the kitchen.

Harvey turns back to Bruce and Harley, glaring for a moment before smiling, knowing that it was just a new couple having fun. His face turns suddenly serious.

“What happened at the asylum was a crime. A serious one. Sharpe broke numerous laws” he explains, drawing Harley and Pamela in instantly, though it wasn’t hard for him to keep the latter’s attention. 

“It was cruel and evil and...well...let’s just say I want him gone” Harleen says, having to stop herself from getting too worked up. Harvey nods, agreeing with her wholeheartedly. “I wanted to ask, where you able to get access to Pamela’s records? Or any other patients? I heard he was trying to stop you from gaining them, and well...I know that Harleen Quinzel doesn’t take no for an answer”.

The two secret vigilantes were a little shocked at Harvey’s own ability to find things out, and DA just smiles. “What? If Mayor Hill has someone on the inside, why shouldn’t I?” he teases.

“Aww Harvey, I’m hurt” Harleen teases right back, recovering before Bruce. “I thought I would be the super secret spy”. 

“I’ll bring it up at the next espionage meeting. The thing is though, we’re going to need you alot really soon Harleen” he admits, putting down his mug of coffee. “That is, if you want to help. I’d understand if not. This is a little risky for your job and well, even your safety” he admits. “This city, all its bad elements are wrapped up in one another. A giant spider’s web that envelops anyone unlucky enough to be caught. Are you sure you…”.

“Yes. I want to help Harvey. Don’t worry about this little fly. I’m very good at getting out of webs” she explains. What Harvey didn’t know was that she already had all the physical copies of her patients files. She’d managed to sneak back into the asylum under the guise of night and steal them, right out from under Warden Sharpe’s nose.

The people sent to destroy them probably just assumed that someone else already did. As it was, corrupt hospital officials were the last to ensure that an illegal job they’d been asked to do had actually been done.

It was this kind of negligence that would come back to bite them in the behind.

“Ohh...well..if you’re sure about that Harleen. I’d really, really appreciate it. I’m building a case and when it comes time? I think, if you were willing to take it a step further, that you would be perfect to put on the stand as an eye witness”.

“Just tell me the time and the place Harvey. Time and place” she teases with a wink. 

“I’d like to be there too!” Pamela pipes up, suddenly excited before pushing herself back down. “To umm...help you with your case” she exclaims. “I...I don’t want Sharpe to get away with this. I don’t want him to hurt anyone else” she exclaims.

Harvey smiles wide at her and nods, having wanted to broach the topic but not having been sure of exactly how to ask the woman. “Thank you Pam. I know this is going to be hard for you, but let me assure you, you’re doing very important work for Gotham. Being a hero again” he says.

Pam smiles back at him, enjoying the deep warmth of his brown eyes while he enjoys her vibrant green. “Well, I...I don’t think of myself as a hero”.

“That little boy and his mother disagree. And so do I” he says. “Ehh hem. Okay, let’s get back to it” Harleen says, interrupting their moment. She hated to do it, but they did need to quickly come up with a game plan to take down Sharpe.

“Ohh right, right. Well, Harleen…”

“I’ll give you a call when I’ve got everything gathered up Harvey. No use in pussfooting around. Just give me a day or two and I’ll have all the relevant information here. I’d leave it at your office but I don’t exactly trust that Hill wouldn’t put someone on your staff to spy on you” she says.

Harvey just laughs. “To be honest, almost everybody that I had to pay has quit” he confesses. “Apparently, they don’t like that I’ve been hemorrhaging supporters. Alot of the rich and famous in Gotham city don’t like some of the planned proposals I have” he explains. 

“Ohh?” Bruce asks, suddenly intrigued.

“Yeah. That’s...dammit, I hate this but that’s why I’m here Bruce” he explains. “I want to ask you if you could possibly help my campaign. Nothing extravagant. I just want to keep us afloat. A few small speaking events, some light advertising. Stuff like that. Bruce...I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t serious”.

“I know Harvey. I know. My question is...what’s in it for me?”

That takes everyone in the room aback a bit, even Alfred who had been standing by, eating his own breakfast. They all go silent, each trying to come to terms with what Bruce had just asked. 

Harley was shocked, but she knew there was something more and was willing to let it play out. Harvey and Pamela both seemed furious. Harvey shakes his head and looks down. “I thought you were different Bruce. Not like all the rest of these rich scumbags in this city wanting to use the political machine for themselves. My answer, if I would ever think about accepting your money? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I can’t believe you. Bruce, how can…”

“Shut up Harvey” Bruce says, rolling his eyes and smiling. “You gave just the answer I wanted. Of course I’ll bankroll your campaign. Keep my name out of it though. All I ask” he says, gesturing for a relieved Alfred to retrieve his check book.

The other three were equally as happy, ecstatic that Bruce wasn’t just another double dealing businessman. “I think it might be better for you to openly do it Bruce” Harvey says uncomfortably, both as a man and a friend. “I want to be transparent to the public. Let them know who I’m beholden to, well rather, not beholden to” he says.

Bruce was a little uncomfortable with that, but he knew that it was a good call to make. After all, he wanted to have a fundraiser where he publicly announced that he was no longer Gotham’s most eligible bachelor. Might as well have it be a fundraiser for Harvey’s campaign.   
  
“All right then. Well Harvey, you have yourself a donor” Bruce says with a smile, standing up and reaching across the table to shake the man’s hand. “Thank you Bruce. Thank you so much”.

“Don’t thank me yet. Wait until you’ve won. Speaking of, how about you come to Wayne Manor next saturday” he says. “I’ll announce my support for your candidacy and get a few people on board” he suggests.

Harvey nods happily. “That sounds great Bruce. Excellent. I’ll call and get a few things rea..”

“Shouldn’t you focus on debate prep?” Harley interjects curiously, wondering why he wouldn’t just delegate that kind of stuff to an assistant. “Why don’t you have your aide do all that? Mayor Dent shouldn’t have to worry about getting publicity out there” she teases.

Harvey seemed a little embarrassed and he shrugs, unsure of what to say. “Well umm...she...quit. Now she’s working for Hill. I’ve been kind of handling a lot of stuff myself lately”.

Bruce frowns, knowing that being run so ragged was part of the reason that Harvey was starting to worry. He was still ahead in the polls, but that was tedious. He needed his rest. “Pamela could be your aide!” Harleen says eagerly, jumping up and shocking the two. Pamela looked like she’d been caught with her pants down, and Harvey...well, he looked surprisingly happy at the suggestion.

“She has some experience doing different forms of secretarial work. How different could it be?” Harleen asks. “Harley” Ivy hisses back at her, not wanting the hole she was in to be dug any deeper. She turns to Harvey and makes to apologize. “I have done a little bit of work at Arkham. Light stuff. It was a program to see how well we’d do if we were reintegrated into the workforce. I did okay but...well...everybody was a little afraid of the green skin” she says, trying to laugh it off. 

“I’m not” Harvey says quickly, a little too quickly. “Green is my favorite color”.

“I...I just don’t want you to lose and how would it look for you to have an ex mental patient aide following you around? Hill would eat that up” Ivy says, her defenses against becoming his aide faltering a little at her own desire to help the man.

“Or, it would be even better to have a hero working with me to make Gotham better. I’d really, really like it if you said yes Pamela” he says, his eyes trusting and friendly. “The pay wont be good to start off with but I promise I’ll increase it when we win, even if I have to give you have my mayoral salary” he says, only half joking. 

“Ohh wow...well, the offer is very...very tempting” she admits, blushing before nodding. “Okay Harvey...I mean. Mr. Dent. You have yourself an aide”.

“Please, just stick to Harvey. I hate the whole formality thing amongst friends”.

“Okay then...Harvey” she says, enjoying that she could just keep using his first name.

Bruce and Harleen just share a knowing look. Gotham now had a plainclothes couple working for its betterment too.

**_Stagg Industries, CEO’s Office_ **

She felt stuffy in the pantsuit she was wearing, the freedom of movement it allowed being much less than the clothes she wore as a Talon. Still, the view was worth the trade off.

She looked out over the city, loving that this was all hers now. Stagg industries, following the death of its major stockholder and CEO, indeed went into panic mode. It was all stabilized by the arrival of Simon Stagg’s head strong and business savvy niece who effectively pulled a coup that shocked all her competitors into paralysis.

Now? She was in charge.

It didn’t matter that this was all done through the good graces of the Court. She didn’t care that it was all for show and that her power at the moment was very minimal above ground. She’d learn. And as she did? More and more power would be wrestled away from the Court and the rich who used it to prey upon Gotham.

Selina was no fool.

She knew that the Court and the Matriarch had used her. Robbed her of a childhood. But, perhaps not. Maybe, in their cruelty, they’d also given her a chance. Her childhood was going to be awful either way. Better that it was awful with her learning skills that would make the rest of her life utter heaven.    
  


She smiles again, bringing the glass of wine up to her lips and drinking deeply of the rich liquid she’d never indulged in before. Her eyes were set on another tower, far away on the opposite side of the city. The bright letters atop it, enumerating its owner were what most allured her.

Wayne Enterprises.

She smiles again, taking her finger and gently teasing it around the rim of the glass. She turns, sitting down at her desk and lamenting its sparsity for a moment. From what she knew of other businesswomen or executives, they all had pictures. Family or friends. Children. 

She had none of those. Yet. 

“Meow”.

The murr from her side and the shape that jumps up into her lap surprise her, but only momentarily. Soon her hand was running through the fur of the dark cat that had been gifted to her by the Matriarch only a few days prior. She smiled and brought Isis as she had been named, up to nuzzle her ear with her nose.

Selina had always loved cats. When she was young, still merely what was called a Hatchling in the Court, she’d adopted a kitten, pur white fur and ohh so loving that she’d found walking amongst the subway tunnels. She’d nurtured it in secret, fed it milk and other food she’d managed to save. When the Matriarch found out? It was the worst day of Selina’s life. Even now she suppressed the tears at what she had been forced to do.

The Court gave you everything when you were under its protection. You were not supposed to partake of anything that the court hadn’t given you. Yet, Selina had.

To rectify this mistake, she was forced to strangle the kitten or face death herself. The act was unbearably cruel, and destroyed any notion that her “parents” loved her. 

Isis nuzzles back against her bringing her back to the moment she was currently in. She had no affection for the court. No. Only her goals which the court would serve. Soon, she would cleanse it of her enemies. But for now? She’d smile in their faces and pretend to be their friend and leader. Give them gifts and support them in attaining more wealth.

She’d do this, only to seize it all back again at the moment of their ultimate happiness. The Elite would be shuffled out, and the Talons would rise to their positions, marrying the wealth and prestige of the Elite to the toil and responsibilities of the Talons.

She gently places Isis in the bed she’d bought for her, the first purchase she’d ever made with her newfound riches. She looks back at the tower, closing her eyes and placing her hand on the glass, imagining the day when she would hand over her empire to Bruce.

They would both rule Gotham, like the kings and queens of old. A fighting aristocracy that earned their privileges through fire and war. They’d cleanse this city, drown it in its own blood so that it could be born anew. It was what kept her going at the moment. The thought of Batman and her, the Talon Matriarch, soaring through the skies, bringing their wrath on those who took everything.

They fit together. Her the pauper princess who’d never had anything, and he, the sad prince who’d had everything taken from him. 

They’d get what was owed to them. It would be returned. In spades. 

Suddenly, her cell phone rang, and she rushes to the desk to pick it up. She’d received numerous calls from Gotham’s other industrialists, each eager to size up the new competition or get close. She’d still been waiting for his call.

She was disappointed to see that it was the Matriarch.

“Yes mother?” she answers, clumsily picking it up and answering it, not being used to technology not meant for killing just yet.

“Hello daughter. Settling in well?” 

The voice on the other end was confident and self assured, and it made Selina’s skin crawl. “Yes mother. Thank you very much for your gift” she says, indeed truly meaning it.

“You deserve this and so much more” the woman says warmly. “However, your chance to secure your hearts true desire is rapidly approaching. I have received word that a certain...bat...you are so fond of, is throwing a party this weekend. He is doing it in his guise of Bruce Wayne. I suggest you invite yourself to Wayne Manor if you wish to spend the rest of your life there”.

Selina couldn’t keep the smile off of her face, her chance rapidly approaching. “Thank you mother. I will act quickly”.

“Goodnight daughter”.

“Goodnight mother”.

She hangs up the cell phone and smiles to herself, biting her lip and looking back over her shoulder at Wayne Tower. She would go out to buy a dress tomorrow, sparing no expense. She wanted him to notice her and only her on that day, and she would introduce herself in such a way as to make it unforgettable. 

“Soon...very soon my beloved, you will meet me. The real me”.

Selina Kyle, enjoyed being royalty. She felt that it was finally where she belonged, and everything she deserved. 

One piece was all that was left missing. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few notes/disclaimers. Just in case anyone feels this way, i don't dislike lesbian relationships. It's hard for me to write as I'm just not good at putting myself in that head space, but I have no animosity. i just don't like Kate Kane. I don't know why. So, I broke her and Renee up. I will introduce a love interest for Renee later on, but just am not sure who I'd put her with. Should I use an established character? Or make an OC? Let me know if that's something you're interested in! Also, there will probably be light political banter between Ivy and Harvey. The story is apolitcal though with that backdrop only working to serve as a contrast between the two characters, and something that leads to some cute name calling/arguments and leading into fluff. Just want to put that out there. Please don't be offended! I hope you guys continue to like the story. Best of everything to all of you :)

**_Bert’s Diner_ **

The coffee was never good here. She didn’t know why that was, it just never was. Still..Kathy was crazy about the place, so they came here a lot...when Kathy was still hers. 

Renee looks away, trying to stifle the tears that come to her eyes. The breakup...it hadn’t been good. When she told Kathy about the blackmail attempt, the first thing to come out of Kathy’s lips was that they shouldn’t spend so much time together. Not give the commissioner any more ammo to use against either of them.

Kathy was a member of Gotham’s uppercrust, and that had obviously played into her decision. At the time, Renee didn’t think too much of it. She was hurt, and a little betrayed that someone like Kathy, who was hardened by her time in the army, would have turned her back on her so easily. But...she loved her, and she trusted her. 

So, she stepped back. She tried to limit it to just texts and phone calls, but she noticed even with that that Kathy had started to become cold. Withdrawn even. Her phone calls weren’t returned. Her texts went ignored. 

Renee wasn’t just sad anymore. She was furious.

And she wanted to let her girlfriend know it to. With the commissioner’s attempt at blackmail now officially blunted, she went over to Kathy’s apartment, in the hope of not only reaming her out for taking the distancing thing way too far, but also to rekindle their relationship. To that effect, she’d brought wine, takeout and a movie she thought that Kathy would like.

Her hopes were dashed mere feet from the front entrance. The door opened and out stepped a laughing Kathy...with another woman in her arms. The blond girl leaned in to kiss her, something Kathy eagerly returned. 

It took all she had in her to not drop the bags and run right there, but she remained glued to the spot, staring. When the two separated, Kathy saw her, being in a perfect position to look over the blonde’s shoulder. Her eyes widen and her mouth drops, not knowing what to say. 

The tears were running freely down Montoya’s face. The blonde seemed to sense that something was wrong and she turned, looking at the woman in the police uniform curiously. Before anything could be said, Renee turned and walked right back to her car, driving off and not looking back.

Since then? She’d received multiple texts from Kathy, all apologizing and asking for her to call. She wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Right at the hardest time in her life, when Renee would’ve loved to have someone back her up, a shoulder to lean on, her lover there to comfort her? Kathy just...pushed her away, and all to make room for another woman.

“Rough few days”.

  
She looks up and sees him, having known from the get go that eventually this is how he would reveal himself to her for their second meeting.    
  


“Yeah. You probably already know”.

“Sorry” he says, meaning it. “I can’t help it. I try and know as much as I can about as many people as I can”.

“Did you know she was cheating?” she asks, no anger or malice present in her voice.

“....yes” he replied meekly.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” she asks, now a little hurt.

“Come on Montoya. I’d just met you. In fact, barely even met you. I was asking you for help with my cases. Dropping the infidelity bombshell would have been cruel” he says, somewhat placating her. “Alright, whatever. I get it”.

The two are silent for a moment though, and eventually Vic decides to break it. “Her name is Maggie Sawyer” he says, turning his head to the side and looking out the window onto the dirty Gotham streets. “And?” Renee asks, not wanting to know anything about the woman she’d lost her girlfriend to at that moment.

“She works at a firm downtown. One associated with the Falcone crime family” he says. “I have a few things on her. She’s dirty. It’s all on this USB” he says before sliding it across the table. Renee looks down at it like it was a foreign glyph before looking at the man. He doesn’t return the gaze, his face an impassive rock. Before he could retract it, she reaches out and takes it, pocketing it.

She smiles and takes another sip of the awful coffee. “Thanks”.

“Don’t mention it. Now, about those kids?”

“Uhhmm” she says, reaching into her own pocketbook and retracting a stack of files. He didn’t even blink at the size of the pile. Whereas most people would find themselves to be discouraged, he seemed positively delighted. He reaches out and takes one, beginning to flip through it right there at the table.

“Anything unique about them?”

“Other than the fact that they’re all unsolved and involve children between the ages of eight and ten? No. Nothing unique. The frequency is high though”.

“Hmm”.

Montoya continues to watch the man, who was now engrossed in the papers below him. She reaches out for another sugar packet to add to her coffee, trying to cover the awful taste.

“Those are bad for you you know?”

“Huh?”

Vic was now standing, having secreted the files on his person somehow. “The sugar packets. They’re bad for you. They add nanite stimulators”.

“You’re saying they put robots in the sugar packets?” she asks incredulously, looking at the offending yellow paper like it would come alive and reveal its secrets. “No. Nanite stimulators. Glucose based bioproteins. You wouldn’t even taste the difference. They stimulate them when they do manage to get inside you. Increase their production. That’s the point. It’s all preparation”.

He picks up his hat and places it on his head, leaving the still shocked woman to question what he had just said and dropped on her. “Why...why would they be putting nanites in us?”

“That really is the question Officer Montoya” he says finally, walking towards the door. He stops suddenly, and turns. “I’ll let you know what I find. Stay strong. Gotham needs you”. With that, he exits the diner and disappears down the street, not even looking back. 

Montoya looks at her coffee, pushing it away. ‘Didn’t like it anyway’.

**_Harvey Dent’s Campaign Headquarters_ **

She takes a deep breath, trying to contain her nerves, reaching out to smooth the ruffles in her skirt. She turns to Alfred who was in the driver’s seat. “Are you sure I look alright? I mean...I haven’t ever really had a job before” she admits, feeling self conscious.

“You look every bit the attractive professional businesswoman Ms. Isley” he says, smiling at her through the rearview mirror to give her a little encouragement. She smiles back and nods. “I just..wanna make a good impression”.

“Ohh undoubtedly you will. Mr. Dent already seems to like you. Why else would he have offered you such an important job?”

  
“Pfft...he doesn’t like me. He barely knows me” she says dismissively. “Why, did he say anything?”. Her excitement at the question gives it away that she indeed already liked Mr. Dent. Alfred remains silent, knowing that Mr. Dent indeed did “like” Ms. Isley.

“I meant in a more friendly way Ms. Isley” he teases, watching the woman deflate a bit and regretting it. “Though I’m sure, given some time, he would come to like you romantically, if that was what you wished”.

“No, no Alfred..not anything like that...I was just...just, well…”

“Yes Ms. Isley. Of course” he says, not believing a word she says to the contrary. She looks back at the building through the window and bites her lip, not keeping up the charade. “I’ve given up on that kind of dream Alfred” she admits. “Meeting someone, falling in love, getting married, having a family and all that. I’m not a normal woman and I never will be. I’m green for God’s sake!” she shouts.

She looks down and puts her head in her hands before looking up. “I’m just going all goo eyed at him because Harleen turned me into a big softie and he’s the first guy to smile at me like that in...well, ever to be honest. Where is Harleen anyway?”

Alfred looks straight ahead, not enjoying having to lie to the woman, but to cover up Bruce’s, and now Harleen’s secret? He would have to.

“Well, Ms. Quinzel is at work” he says, happy that at least that part is true. “And Mr. Wayne is at a stockholders meeting”. Both were “technically” true, though they were both masks for the real intentions of the couple at their separate location. Harleen was gathering information and trying to retrieve as much as she could from Arkham ASIDE from the files she’d snatched a few nights previously. Bruce? He was scoping out yet another target for investigation, a certain Stagg industries which has come under new ownership after the mysterious death of its crooked CEO. He was canvassing investors for their thoughts on the company.

“Well, that makes sense. I’m not her only patient” she says, unable to fight the feeling of being a little let down. Alfred did have a cure for that, and he reaches into the floor of the passenger seat to grab the brown paper bag. “Well, maybe not, but you are Ms. Quinzel’s best friend, and one of Master Bruce’s close friends as well. So, they worked together this morning to make you your lunch”.    
  
He hands her the bag, which shocked her. She opens it and sees her favorite. A salad with all the fixings covered in french dressing, a banana and a bottle of iced tea. She sees the piece of paper stuffed into the side and reaches in to open it. It reads, “Ivy! We wanted to wish you luck on your first day, so we made you your lunch! Well, I made the salad. Bruce got the rest together. Love you bestie! We can’t wait to hear all about your first day! P.S. Bruce says to go easy on his friend. He hasn’t been on a date since college”.

The paper was uniquely Harley, with hearts and smiley faces dotting the bottom. It takes all that’s inside of her not to cry. “I’ve...never had people care about me before” she admits.

“That’s what families do Ms. Isley”.

She looks up, shocked at the words but feels them in her heart. It was true. Her days spent with Bruce and Harley, when hey were around of course, resonated. Playing board games, watching movies, dinners together, trying to tease them only for them to make her blush by kissing right in front of them? It was the closest she had ever had to a family. 

  
She chuckles to herself, folding up the lunch bag again. “I feel like the scared little girl” she teases self deprecatingly. “Ohh no Ms. Isley. You are much more the younger sister of the group” the butler explains. “Ms. Quinzel treats you too much as an equal to look down on you in any way” he says.

“Thank you Alfred. I...I needed all this” she says, a wide smile splitting her face. “Of course, ma’am..now, please enjoy your first day. I shall be back here at six o’clock sharp to pick you up” he explains. “I shall keep dinner on a hot plate. We are having nachos tonight” he says, shivering as he says the word.

“Harley’s idea?” 

“Yes”.

She opens the door and laughs, closing it behind her and waving as the butler drove off, though slowly as he waits to see that she got through the door. When she does, the black car disappears into the distance, leaving Ivy alone for the time being.

She straightens the strap of her purse which was now hanging off of her shoulder. “Alright Pamela. You can do this. You can do this”. She steps forward towards the elevator, calling it down to the ground floor and stepping on. She had hoped that the ride would be longer, but unfortunately, Harvey’s campaign office was on the third floor.

And the elevator opened right up onto it.

She steps out, and all sounds of activity stop. There were quite a few volunteers all around, and each of them had been busy talking on phones, printing out pages or doing any number of other things she had no idea would be important to a campaign. 

She gulped and stepped into the office space, smiling and waving. “Umm..hello. I’m looking for Mr. Dent” she calls out, though nobody seems to want to come out and help her. She felt like a seagull sitting on a piece of drift wood. Stuck.

“Pam!” 

She turns to see Harvey moving towards her, having been preoccupied with something on the other side of the room. “Harvey!” she says, using his name. “So glad you made it here alright. Everyone, everyone! Please, I have a new staff member to introduce you too” he says, taking her arm in his own and leading her into the middle of the room. “This is Pamela Isley. She’s the Vreeland park hero!” he says, drawing some tepid clapping and congratulations. “She’s part of what we’re fighting for here in Gotham. And guess what? She wants to join us in our fight. She’ll be my new aide” he says.

Pamela notices that many of the women seemed to be a bit put out, perhaps a few of them having hoped for the job themselves. If not for the pay, maybe for a chance to be close to Harvey. She smiles, blushing under Harvey’s congratulations.    
  


“Umm well, thank you for the...applause” she says, somewhat awkwardly, disengaging from Harvey’s arm as she had found herself to be way too comfortable there. She steps out into the middle of the room, apparently wanting to say something herself, at least to assure them that she wasn’t the rabid maniac they might have thought she was.

“I look forward to working with all of you. Especially if it means we get to throw Mayor Hill out of Gotham, and put Harvey to work making some real change”.

This drew a few claps, the room slowly warming to her. Harvey himself was surprised, not having expected the impromptu speech. 

“I want more for this city. We all do right?”

The crowd gives their assent and cheers out. “Well, we gotta fight for it then. Those people up at the top? They’re not going to change. They don’t want to change. The system works for them. Well, it doesn’t for us. I grew up here, and unlike them, I grew up outside of the penthouses lining downtown Gotham. I know what it’s like to be abandoned, unloved. And I don’t want anyone else to feel that way in Gotham anymore!”.

She turns and points a finger at Harvey, making him go wide eyed. “That’s why I’m fighting for Harvey. Because he’ll fight for you and me and everyone else. So….” she stops, unsure of how to effectively finish her speech. “Let’s...do whatever we need to do to fix Gotham! If you’re making phonecalls, make the best phonecalls. Don’t be afraid to fight for what you believe in! Making flyers? Make the best damn flyers you can! Gotham deserves our best people. Let’s give it to her!”

The crowd develops into a cacophony of cheers, each member of the team being more pumped up than they probably ever had before. Things had become a little big doom and gloom with all of the defections and quitters, but...they felt different now. They return to their work, each with a smile on their face that was cast at the new aide to Harvey Dent. She blushes and waves, having felt like all her confidence was spent on that one speech.

“Wow” Harvey says, walking up behind her. “That was...something”.

“Sorry” she says, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hey, don’t be. It fired them up. I’ve never quite seen them like this” he says. “Anyways, let me show you to your desk. It’s right outside my office” he says gesturing for her to follow him. She does, her high heels clicking against the tile floor.

“And it’s right here” he exclaims, showcasing the desk. It was a little bit older, apparently having been used, but she didn’t care in the least. What stood out to her instantly, was the little potted daisy on the corner. She gasps and moves towards it, gently reaching out to touch the stem. “Aww, look at you! You adorable little guy” she says, the flower almost dancing to her words in appreciation. 

“Well, I’m glad you like him” Harvey says, indeed enjoying how the woman plays with the plant so appreciatively. He also can’t help but check out her behind, which was so eagerly put on display for him as she bent over in her skirt. He looks away, placing his fingers around the collar of his shirt to relieve some of the pressure.

She turns, a little flabbergasted.

“You got me a flower?”

“Well, yeah, I thought you might like it” he says, wondering if he’d made a mistake. “Harleen said you liked roses, but I thought since you already had one, I could get you a little something different for the office. I made a mistake didn’t I?”

“Ohh no, no! He’s absolutely adorable”

“He?” 

“Well, not really. I kind of just give them names and stuff. It doesn’t really matter as plants reproduce asexually with themselves most of the time. The flowers release their own spores and such...and huh...well, this really isn’t the most stimulating of conversations” she admits. “I get a little passionate about plants”.

“Hey no! It’s fine. Perfectly fine. It’s good actually. It had never really occurred to me how little we know about them, and it’s funny considering how they’re basically everywhere”.

“Used to be everywhere” she says. “Before we bull dozed everything down”.

  
“Hey watch it hippie” he says, giving away the fact that he was joking. “I have to keep that part of my base happy. I mean, I’m not a climate change denier or anything but I don’t exactly want to get rid of cows or stop air travel either” he says.

“Ohh? And what is your solution to the rapidly dying planet we’re on?” she teases right back.

“Well, I think it’ll take more than a few hundred years of pollution to kill this old girl, but I get your point. Better to do something now” he conceded, leaning against the desk and bringing his fingers up to his chin, grasping it as he thinks it over.

She found the position immediately alluring on him.

“Well, first and foremost, tax incentives on companies to develop green energy that is cheap and effective. No more big government grants to these companies that are really just fronts. Put the free market to good use” he says, drawing Ivy’s attention. “What makes you think they’d agree? It’s already cheaper for them to outsource jobs overseas. Doesn’t exactly help to move the pollution from one area of the globe to another”.

“Tariffs. In fact, it would be great if we could bring all industry home. Put it under American purview. Sixty eight percent corporate tax on all goods coming in from China or India. Put the fire under their asses” he says triumphantly. She liked his smile, but she wasn’t going to concede the debate that much.

“It’s an emergency. The world may die under our very feet tomorrow. Prompt action is needed” she says, the fire rising within her. Harvey seems to respond to this and stands, moving closer to with the same fire in his eyes. “And we shouldn’t consign our people to poverty to do it. Our economy is just as important”.

The two glare at each other, obviously being on opposite sides of the spectrum. Slowly though, both smile, descending into a fit of laughter as they both lean against the desk. “Well, I guess I have a hippie leftist working for me as my aide huh?”

“And my boss is a fascist. Never would’ve thought”.

“Do I at least still have your vote on election day?” he asks, a quirked eyebrow as he regards her from the side. “Over Mayor Hill? Of course”.

The two descend once more into laughter and then a comfortable silence. “Thanks. It’s been a long time since I’ve got to laugh” Harvey says, shaking his head and smiling a little sadly at the ground. Ivy reaches out and pats his hand. “Any time future Mayor Dent”.

“Thanks Pam. If you need anything, just let me know alright? All I need you to do today is answer the phone and let me know if anyone comes to see me. Maybe I’ll have you write a dictated letter or two but nothing too strenuous” he says before standing and making his way back to his office, the weight of the world once again on his shoulders.

“You know…” she begins stopping him in his track. “I may not have all the answers politically, or maybe answers you’d like”.

“Yeah?” he asks, interested.

“But...well...I do know plants. And you said you wanted to know more. Maybe I can teach you some time. Say, over dinner?” she asks, hopefully.

The man’s eyebrows shoot up practically to his hairline and he laughs slightly, making her feel like her hopes were dashed. “I’d love that Pam. Damn. Beat me to it” he says. “I was going to use that line on you around” he brings up his wrist to check his watch. “Twelve. Wanted to wait to have it have a little dramatic effect”.

“I’m a girl that doesn’t like to wait” she teases.

“I can see that. Well, I assume it’ll be on my dime?” he teases, having no issue with that whatsoever.

“Please. I’m a 21st century woman” she scoffs. “Of course you pay” she says before softening. “I..probably should’ve thought of that beforehand. Kind of rude to invite someone out and ask them to pay. I’ll cover next time” she offers but Harvey waves her off. “No, no. Wont allow it. You may be a 21st century woman but I’m a 1950s man. I’ll pay”.

He looks back at his watch and shakes his head. “Well, I better get back to work” he says, not wanting to return to his office where the phone calls would come in ceaselessly. “Yeah, I should get to work” she says, not wanting him to leave either.

“Well, how about this. On your lunch break, I’ll join you, and then when we leave, we’ll go get a bite. We’ll call it extended orientation” he says, making to close the door to his office. “Of course sir! Of course”.

“Great. Well, don’t hesitate if you need me” he says, the door closing more and more reluctantly. “You too” she says, still standing by her desk. With one final pull the door to Harvey’s office closes, and Pamela smoothes out her skirt once again, sitting down at the desk. She lets out a breath of air, feeling nervous after it was all said and down. “Way to go. At least he doesn’t think you’re a complete idiot” she says to herself, reaching out to stroke the daisy’s petals. 

“You’re such a cutie!” she coos at the flower, which leans further into her touch. “Well...let’s hope today is fun!” 

She was already excited for her shift to end.

**_Fisherman’s Wharf, Gotham Docks_ **

The man snarled, picking up Bruce and throwing him against the ramshackle walls of the bar, the vigilante flying through the air and landing on his back, skidding across the wooden planks. “Batman!” Harleen shouts, rushing up beside him and helping him up.

He grunts, trying to move onto his back and then to his feet, all the while, the hulking scaly skinned thug walks through the door. “I’m fine” he says, trying to placate the blonde, though it didn’t work. 

The man wearing jeans and a back tank top cracks his knuckles, hissing down at the two. “You ain’t gonna be for long batssssss”. More and more goons pile out of the bar, each carrying a weapon of some Sort. Bats or chains, even a few knives. 

Bruce was now on his feet, having assumed a combat stance. 

“Who the hell are you?” Harleen calls out, assuming a similar stance right beside the man, drawing a batarang from her belt. She turned to Bruce, hoping he’d be able to fill her in. She didn’t know what it was about this place that attracted criminals, but it sure did reel them in. He just shakes his head, apparently a bit embarrassed at having been taken so completely by surprise. 

“Ohh the lady wants to know who I am boyssss” he hisses out, the men laughing a bit as their leader advances forward. “Namessss Killa Croc babe. Tell me, you ain’t getting bored yet? Runnin’ with this bat freak?” he teases, looking her up and down. Harleen was disgusted. Not only did this Croc character smell, he looked like a lizard….well….a crocodile. She recognized it as a rare form of atavism called Crocodilipatea. 

‘Well, at least the name he chose for himself makes sense’ she thinks, watching as he opens his mouth to reveal the set of sharp teeth. “Girl like you could make some coin runnin’ with us” he says, spitting to the side and grabbing his crotch. “Could make even more ridin’ me”.

The gang laugh again, and Harley scowls. “Sorry scaly. Already taken”.

“Hehe..whoever he is, he ain’t as much man as I am” he sneers, moving forward. Bruce makes to stop him, a punch ready to be thrown. Harley beats him to the mark though, and brings her boot up into the man’s groin, causing his to howl out in pain. He drops to his knees, cradling his genitals.    
  


“Sssslice this bitch up!” he orders, though his voice sounded like it was a few octaves higher than before. Bruce turns to Harley, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. She just shrugs. “What? I got a type that he don’t fit”.

Bruce turns just in time to duck, avoiding the swing of a bat. He comes up, grasps it with both hands and then thrusts the end right into the man’s stomach, making the thug crumple to the ground. Harley was also giving in her due, a swift kick to the side of the head bringing on of the men trying to assault her down for the count.

It was worrying how many of them there were though, and they just seemed to keep pouring out of the bar.

“Batman, we might have a problem” Harleen shouts, moving out of the way of an oncoming knife, grasping the man’s wrist and snapping it, making him drop the knife and then himself, howling in pain at his now useless hand.

“Sorry” Harley winces, indeed feeling a bit bad about the injury she’d inflicted. The man looks up just in time to see her red gloved fist close down on him, knocking him out and relieving him of the pain, at least until he woke up. She was instantly embroiled in another fight, headbutting a man who was trying to take a swing. She heard the sick crack of his nose breaking, and she pushes him back into an oncoming thug, stunting both of them as they fall to the ground.

“Yikes, do you have any medical insurance buddy? Because that looks pretty bad” she teases, getting into the fight. Bruce meanwhile, had deliver a swift uppercut to a chain wielding thug after the man had managed to wrap the chain around his arm. He had been initially very happy, thinking that he now had a chance to incapacitate the Batman. He got cocky, forgetting that the man had another fist that was still free to use.

While that one falls he turns, picking up one of the small wooden boxes that littered the dock nearby, chucking it into a one of Killer Croc’s goons, knocking him into the water.

“What the fuck?” Croc calls out, finally getting to his feet. “You can’t handle two freaks in a bat ssssuit?”

“Aww, and I thought you liked me crocsy” Harleen teases, blowing a raspberry at the man. He just snarls and charges forward, knocking his gang members out of the way with a swing of his big meaty arm. Bruce moves in front of Harleen, a batarang in his hand. 

Just as he’s about to throw it, hoping to stop the man’s charge, a sound rocks the night, shaking the wooden dock and knocking the massive man to ground. It continues on, and even Bruce and Harley cover their ears, the sound proofing of their cowls only working so much. 

Just as suddenly as it starts, it stops, and the first to recover was Batman. The batarang in his hand, he turns to look at where the sound had come from, and his eyes land on a woman. “Woah, who the hell is that?” Harley asks, seeing the blonde walking out, her hips swaying exaggeratedly. “Heya boys. Hope you don’t mind if I join in” she says, teasing the thugs who had just gotten to their feet. 

She turns to Harley and smiles, winking as well. “Unless this is a private party”. Now that the two got a closer look at her they could get a better appraisal of her. She was attractive, with blue eyes, and blonde. That fit. What only further served to accentuate her look were the black boots she wore, paired with fishnets, a corset and a biker jacket. The gloves that were also on her hands seemed to just finish her look.

Harley already liked her. 

“Nah, we’re a regular free for all sister. The more the merrier!” she says, more than happy for the assistance. “Good. I hate being unwelcome”.

“Hmm”.

Bruce’s response naturally got Harley to roll her eyes. “Kill them all!” Croc says in a fit of rage, rushing forward with his entire gang, all at once. “You might wanna cover your ears” the woman says, turning to the the two bat themed vigilantes. Bruce just engaged the enhanced noise dampeners in his own cowl before reaching out and doing the same to Harley. “Ohh new toys! You gotta let me know when you give me something new!” Harley shouts, tossing a few batarangs and immobilizing a few thugs.

Before the new woman gets a chance to scream again, Batman throws out a bola, which wraps around Croc’s legs sending him crashing to the ground. The docks creaks but remains stable. The other blonde just frowns and punches a thug straight in the throat, sending him to the ground beside his boss.

“Your boyfriend is a party pooper!” she shouts out, ducking and swinging her leg outwards. “What?” Harleen shouts, having seen her shout but not exactly hearing her. The woman turns, trying to get Harleen to hear her, but doesn’t notice the thug sneaking up behind her with a bat. Harleen’s eyes widen and she tries to shout out a warning, but it was too late.

The bat comes up in the air, ready to make a triumphant landing atop the screamer’s unarmored head. Just a few inches away, it’s caught an unseen hand, which pulls it away and breaks it. The thug is quickly dispatched by the new figure’s other fist.

The Question steps out of the darkness behind the woman, tipping his hat to her. She’s shocked, but doesn’t have much time to react as the man in the blue fedora and without a face steps forward, throwing himself into the melee. He is soon follow by the woman.

Harleen turns her attention back to Bruce, watching him advance on Croc. He was fending off attacks from both left and right, tossing and punching criminal low lifes like they were nothing. To the Batman? They were. Harley takes off after him, using her gymnastic skills to duck, swerve and roll out of the way of numerous fatal or near fatal hits, dispatching each and every one of them with grace. Her body had become a weapon, a weapon that she had sharpened under Bruce’s tutelage. It was a rush, the biggest rush she ever had!

Bruce had reached Croc at this point, and had begun to deliver a series of punches to the still struggling man’s face. They needed him out of the fight, so no matter what they had to do to make sure he stayed down? They’d do it.

The man’s face quickly become pulp, and his attempts at grasping Batman more and more feeble until they stopped entirely. Bruce was breathless, and he moves off of the massive body of the now prone man. When he looks around, he finds no more enemies left to fight, as the other three had dispatched the thugs, and were now watching him in a mix of amazement, or in the Question’s case, blank face neutrality.

“Batman...are you okay?” Harleen asks, moving up towards him. She was a little wary of the brutality he had shown, and she was careful in her approach. “I’m fine Batwoman” he says, standing up and looking down at the still breathing gangster.

“What did you find in there that angered you so much?”

He just turns to her and shakes his head. “You don’t want to know”.

Aside from the cache of drugs, there had been a small pit in the middle of the bar. Inside? Chunks of human body parts floated in the murky water. Croc had cut out a part of the bar’s floor to open up to the ocean below, and had apparently fed people to sharks which flocked beneath the docks. It was a grisly sight, and one that had set the man off. Aside from that? Drugs, guns and all sorts of other illegal activities abounded. 

It was unthinkable that this bar had been able to operate like this, out in the open. But...it was Gotham. A bribe probably kept the right people away.

Harleen understood, possibly better than anyone, and she rubs his chest, moving into his personal space with practiced ease. She smiles up at him, rubbing his cheek through the cowl. “You did good”.

Bruce was much less accustomed to being open while wearing the suit, but he still smiles lightly down at her. “You did too”. She leans in to kiss him, a short grunt and a cough being the only things that stop her and remind the both of them that they weren’t alone.

Question was standing beside the biker woman, who nudges him with her elbow. “Want me to kiss you too? Ohh...wait...no face...hmm...could be hot though. Never kissed a guy with no face”.

The Question just stares at her blankly, his hands in his pockets. “Ohh dark and mysterious. I like that too” she adds on, extending her hand to the man beside her, giving the two bats time to bring themselves back down. “Dinah Lance. Just call me Black Canary. Though actually? You can call me Dinah cutie”.

He reaches out and takes her hand, shaking it. “How do you know I’m cute? Like you said, I have no face” he says. “I’m the Question”.

The flirtatious woman smiles at him, squeezing his hand and laughing. “Ohhh...then maybe I’m your answer sweetie!”

“Hey you two, cool it” Harleen calls out, advancing on the two with Batman beside her. “Thanks for the help. You guys saved our bacon!” Harleen says while Batman corrects her, or rather tries. “We had it under control”.

“Didn’t look that way to me Batsy” Canary teases. “Looked like you were getting your asses handed to you. Saw the way Croc through you through that wall. Yikes! That hurt didn’t it?”

Batman just glares, and Harleen knows there was going to be a blow up soon if she didn’t cut it off at the pass. She steps forward, wanting to introduce themselves. “Regardless, we all kicked serious bad guy butt tonight!” she says. “Batwoman. Really nice to meet you”.

Dinah laughs and takes Harleen’s hand, shaking it again. “Like I said to this handsome guy, I’m Dinah Lance. A.k.a Black Canary”.

“Canary? Pft..with a set of lungs on you like that? Better call you bull horn”.

Canary lets out a huff of faux annoyance. “Yeah well...Canary sounds sexier than bullhorn. Anyways, what were you two bats doing here? This was supposed to be my bust” she says, hands on her hips as she glares at them. She turns her head over her shoulder and smiles at Question, who was on his knees investigating a broken box.

“Not that I mind him showing up. But no offense? You two? Eh”.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harleen asks a little angrily, not wanting to be insulted by the woman. “Nothing, nothing. Actually, kind of really thankful you did. I had no idea how I was going to tackle this. Sorry, I’ve been in a bad mood lately. I can be a bitch” she says, walking over towards Croc’s limp body. 

She kicks his side, drawing a groan from the thoroughly defeated man. “Well, you drug peddling pimp piece of shit. Looks like it’s over for you” she says. “Anyone know any good cops to call? Preferably not on the payroll?”

“Yes” Question says, standing up and moving towards the group. “Ohh you are very useful. I might have to keep you around babydoll”.

He remains silent though, not saying any more. “Well, which cop?”

“It’s most likely Renee Montoya” Batman says, genuinely, seeming to rattle the imperturbable man. He quickly regains his composure and nods. “Who are you Mr. NoFace?” Harleen asks, finding the man’s silence to be odd. “My name is the Question” he says.

  
“Ahh, okay, and what brought you here?”

“Missing kids” he says. “A stack of reports given to me by inside sources indicate that this is where quite a few of them were last spotted, mostly by dock workers. All of them were kidnapped somewhere near crime alley though”.

“Hmm, that’s odd” Harleen says before it all fits together. “Ohh! Then it must have something to do with the Talons!” she shouts out excitedly. “Talons?” Canary asks, her curiosity peaked. Bruce looks at Harley, shocked that she’d just give away a secret like that. “What? Maybe they might know something” she says.

“I do” Question pipes up, turning the groups attention back to him. “The Talons are supposedly the soldiers of the secret Gotham organization known as the Court of Owls. It’s said to just be a bed time story meant to scare kids. In reality, it’s an organization composed of Gotham’s wealthiest and most influential citizens intent on ruling the city through their back room dealings”.

The group is silent, not knowing where to go with that. Canary is the first to speak, the thought occurring to her. “Ohh yeah! The nursery rhyme and all. Watching you in your bed, send the Talon for your head. I remember that. You’re telling me these guys are real?” she asks.

“Yes. Real, and kidnapping children” Batman says, adding in his two cents now that the cat was fully out of the bag. “Batwoman and I were able to break up a shipment. The Falcone’s are apparently serving as a front for the child trafficking”.

“What do you think they’re doing to the kids?” Dinah asks.

“Turning them into Talons” Questions supplies. “They make perfect soldiers. Trained that young. Impressionable. Moldable”.

“He’s right” Harley says, confirming the sad truth. “We were just able to stop them. We got our butts handed to us. They’re strong”.

“Well, maybe you two need some backup” Dinah suggests. “I’m pretty good in a scrap. So is Question as well just saw”.

“It wouldn’t be enough” Batman says, stepping forward. “They’re too numerous”.

“Ohh okay, so keep taking them on just the two of you without any added help. That sounds fun!” Dinah says with a smirk. “Come on bats. Even the odds a little bit. Apparently Q knows things” she says, gesturing with her thumb at the man. “And so do you. You too could work pretty well together in gathering up info”.

“And what would you do?” Bruce asks, somewhat interested though irritated with the woman already. “Me? I kick ass. And your girlfriend here?” she says, grabbing Batwoman by the shoulders and holding her into her side. “She does too. We can all work together. Be best buds who take down bad guys! Don’t it sound fun?” she asks. Harley herself seemed to be a bit on board with the idea already, smiling at the idea of more people working for Gotham’s interest.

Bruce looks over to Question who shrugs. “Anything that might take them down is worth trying in my book. I am your in with Montoya too”.

Bruce knew he was outnumbered, and with a sigh he acquiesces. “Alright” he says. “We need to come up with a way to communicate. Something that wont compromise our identities to one another” he says.

“Hey no fair! You guys know who I am” Canary says.

“That’s because you introduced yourself as Dinah Lance” Harleen teases, poking the woman in the side. “Burr, aren’t you cold? You’re barely wearing anything” she adds. Canary just winks. “Hey, if you got it, show it off. But alright, yeah, I get it. It’s fine. I’ll eventually learn all of them anyway. I have a habit of becoming people’s friend” she says, smiling coquettishly at Q who just tips his hat and turns away. 

“Meet us atop the abandoned candy factory downtown tomorrow night. I’ll have a plan worked out to enable undetectable two way communication. If you need us, call” Batman says, turning his and walking away, moving back towards where he had parked the batmobile. Harley waves to the two and quickly follows behind her boyfriend, rushing to catch up. “Bye new friends!”. Dinah waves back, indeed liking the woman going by Batwoman.

“Well, alright then. That was fun” Dinah says, turning to the Question. She was a little surprised to see that he was still there. “What?” he says, her surprise obviously having registered on her face. “Ohh nothing, I was just kind of expecting you to have disappeared already. You seem the type”.

“Ahh”.

“You don’t say much do you?”

“Not really”.

“Good, exactly the kind of man I’m looking for” she says while walking towards him. “That means I’ll be doing most of the talking. Phone please” she says, putting her hand out.

“Why?” he shuffles uncomfortably.

“Uhh dud, so I can give you my number”.

“Why?”

“You ask too many questions” she teases, before laughing aloud. “I guess your name fits. Relax. I wont go through anything. It’s just so I can call you if I need non Bats related help. Besides, we don’t even know if he’ll follow through. Seems a bit introverted”.

“I’m introverted” he says, indeed fishing his burner flip phone out of his pocket and handing it over to the woman. She smiles, opening it and putting in her number. She hands it back and winks, turning and making sure that the man was pointedly aware of how perfectly former her butt was, and just how well it was shown off by her costume. 

“Sorry cutie, I don’t kiss on the first date. Second one? Maybe...third? Ohh definitely. But keep an eye out for dirty pictures” she teases, turning the corner of the bar and disappearing. Moments later she drives by on her motorcycle, a Harley Davidson by his account. She blew a kiss at him as she passed, rocketing off into the night. 

He just looks after her, before looking down at the phone. She’d just saved herself as Canary, followed by a winking face. He places the phone back into his pocket and coughs, unsure of what to make of the flirtatious woman. 

“She really should wear a helmet” he says to himself, walking off towards his own vehicle hidden back behind the dock.

**_Batmobile_ **

“Jason come on, don’t! Please” Barbara whispers, watching as Jason uses the jack to try and pry off the hub caps of the batmobile. “Barbara shush! We can get a lot of money for these. This is THE Batman’s car. We would have enough to eat for weeks!”

“But...but...he’s Batman!” the little girl says incredulously, not believing that they would even stumble across such a thing as the Batmobile by the docks that night. “He’ll be mad if we take these. Jason please! Let’s wait until Friday and then Mario will have pretzels for us”.

“We can’t eat pretzels forever Barbara” he says, grunting from the exertion while finally popping the hub cap free. He reaches down and picks it up, admiring it before rapping his knuckles against it. “Ohh, this is good steel! We can get good scrap money for it. I can buy you a new and warmer jacket!” he says excitedly.

“Jason, my jacket is fine. You don’t need to get me a new one” she whines.

“No. It’s dirty and torn. Winters coming. What then?”

“What about your jacket? You need a jacket. I have one” she says.

“I’ll take the dirty one” he placates, moving onto the next hubcap. “But if it’s not good for me, why is it good for you?”

“Because we can’t afford two new jackets, and I’d rather you have the new one. I’m a boy. I can take it” he says. She just crosses her arms, sitting on a trashcan. “I can take it to. I’m a girl but I’m tough!” she shouts out.

“I’m sure that’s true” says a voice from the other end of the alley. Jason stops, being shocked and startled by the arrival of someone else. He’s even more shocked when he sees two shadows which slowly become more and more visible to him.

“Ohh god” he says, inadvertently bringing the tire jack up in his hands, showcasing to Batman and Batwoman that he’d indeed been tinkering with their car. Batman looks at him, and the most shocking thing happen. He smiles. Jason drops the jack, wincing as it loudly clatters to the ground.

Barbara comes up behind him, her arms wrapping around his mid section in fear. “Jason?” she asks. “Is that...are those...are we in trouble?”

Harleen was biting her lip, barely containing the happiness she was feeling at the utterly cute display. “Awww sweetie...not at all” she says before turning and whispering to Batman. “Can we keep them?”


	15. Chapter 15

**_East Gotham_ **

“Jason” Barbara whispers. “Are we in trouble?”

She had tried to keep her voice down, but sitting directly in someone’s lap? They were bound to hear it. “Ohh no, no sweetie!” Harleen, still dressed as Batwoman interjects. “Neither of you are in trouble, though stealing isn’t good” she chastises lightly, causing the young boy sitting on her right leg to look away, a little ashamed.

Barbara was ever curious though, and she looked around the batmobile, specifically at the dashboard and its myriad of buttons and levers. “What’s that one do?” she asks, pointing to a particularly interesting one.

“Nitros”.

Batman growled out the word, fighting to remain calm. He wasn’t angry. Not really. Not at Harleen who insisted they take the children along. Not at the two kids who had the unfortunate luck to be out on the streets alone. No. He was mad at the whole situation. Gotham, for letting them stay on the streets alone for so long. Their parents, whoever they were, for not taking proper precautions and most of all the world.

Barbara seems to notice, and she cuddles into Harleen even more, lacing her fingers through the woman’s hand. “What’s the matter sweetie?”.

The redhead looks to the masked woman, and then back at the stoic man driving. “Does he hate us?” she asks. “No, no, why would he?”

“For trying to steal the batmobile’s tire thingies?”

“Ohh sweetie, he might be a little mad. They are expensive after all” she says, holding the two tight. “But no. He’s just a sour puss sometimes. Now, you two need to tell us your names so we can help you” she says, wincing as Bruce takes a turn a little sharply. “Batman!” she calls out. “Slower”.

The vigilante winces, not being used to driving “carefully” at all. “Sorry” he says, meaning it. “Note to self. Install a back seat annnnd seatbelts” Harley says jocularly, strill cradling the two in her lap. “Now. Names please?”

“Don’t tell her anything Barbara” Jason interjects.

“Sweetie, if you don’t want us to know your names then I’d suggest not calling your friend her by her first...Jason. That’s a cute name. It fits you”.

The boy blushes, trying to move away from the woman who gently combs her finger through his dark hair. He doesn’t have much success though, the center console blocking his path. “I’m Barbara Gordon” the little girl says, shocking the two occupants.

Everyone had heard about the missing police chief’s daughter. The whole city had looked but it was pretty clear that not only did the GCPD not want to extend too many resources on one missing child, especially when her deceased father was someone that Loeb was very happy to see dead.

Everyone knew the sad story. Mother seduced by a cult leader, taking the child and having her new minions slaughter her husband and attempt to kill her daughter. Tragic. According to eyewitness accounts he was killed right in front of her.

Harley tilts her head and looks at her, gently brushing her finger over her cheek and looking deeply into her eyes. “You are aren’t you? Ohh you poor little girl”. She hugs her close with one arm, and Barbara, longing for a motherly touch, reaches her arms around the woman’s neck, sobbing into her shoulder. She was at the end of what any adult could be expected to take, let along a child.    
  


Jason sees and doesn’t know what to say, feeling a little left out as Barbara had always turned to him for comfort. It was something that Bruce noticed out of the corner of his eye, and indeed something he could relate to. The need to be needed. 

“She wouldn’t have survived without you”.

Jason looks up at the man, thinking that he hadn’t spoke and had indeed just imagined the words for a moment. Batman slowly brings the batmobile onto a lesser used side street, trying to confuse any possible attempts to track him or follow them home.

“She owes you her life. You’re very brave” Batman says, this time where Jason could see and hear it. “What’s your name?”

“Jason...sir...Jason Todd”.

“Hmmm”.

Silence reigns as Harleen rubs Barbara’s back, gently lulling her to sleep in her arms. “Shhh. Shhh”.

“What about your parents?” he asks, knowing that he’d most likely get an honest answer at this point. “Dead. My dad got shot by some gang and my mom took too many drugs”. Bruce hated the way the boy looked when he said it. So empty. So devoid of emotion though he knew it was a front. He was bubbling up inside and he was glad that he didn’t have to shoulder all the responsibility alone. All in all, two kids off of the street was always a good thing.

‘What do we do with them now?’

That was the question. He had no idea. As far as he knew, Jason had no family, and if he did, none of them were good to have around children. As far as Barbara? He knew that her father was dead, and her mother? Well, she was involved in his death.

Barbara Gordon the elder was still out there too. Who knew what kind of threat her and the self proclaimed, “Disciples of Blackfire”, still posed to the young girl. It was most likely high.

He was running out of options. He didn’t trust the city to properly protect or take care of these two. He didn’t know anyone else he could trust to take care of them either. But...looking at Harley holding the two young children close, an idea, one that perhaps wasn’t his most rational, came into his mind.

‘You could’.

He tries to shake the thought away, knowing that it was irresponsible, stupid even. He couldn’t bring two children into his world, and that was inevitably what he’d be doing. He’d have to let them know who he really was, and that would also put Harley at risk of exposure if they told anyone. 

‘You could take care of them’.

The thought was back, and he didn’t know how to fight it any longer. He wanted to make a difference in this city, and he knew he already had...to a degree. But what kind of difference lasted truly beyond one’s own life?

His mind went back to that day, waiting at the police station for Alfred. He’d always had Alfred in his life, always. But he’d never truly expected him to play the role he eventually did, for a child that was not his own. Nobody would have blamed Alfred if he’d left. Went back to England and never looked back, leaving Bruce in the hands of whoever would raise him, be it the state or a greedy foster family after his money.

He didn’t.

_ “Master Bruce” he had said, moving onto his knees, the only thing familiar left in the little boy’s world. All he had. He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and sobbed, sobbed all he could. Alfred just held him close, trying to soothe him. _

_ “Master Bruce...shh...shh...It’s okay. I’m here for you. It’ll be okay. _

The memory lingered painfully, reminding him that the man had indeed made everything “okay”. As okay as it could be for a little boy who had just lost his parents. His childhood had been happy, and stable, and that was because of Alfred.

He turns and looks at the two children, dirty and abandoned, and he sees himself in the alley that night.

‘We could take care of them puddin’.

He knew that voice would enter his mind eventually, and he knew Harley enough to know what she would want to do. Harley. He watches her nurture the two, trying to assure them that everything would be alright in the same way Alfred had done for him. She was the soft hand to this crusade. The one that would heal Gotham while he avenged her. She was better at mercy than he was, and she had no idea how she kept him anchored to his morality.

He knew what they were going to do. The question now was how?

He reaches out, clicking on the communications and opening a line to the bat cave. “Alfred? Are you there?”

“Yes Master Bruce” the voice responds, seeming a bit agitated. Jason jumps at the noise, not having expected it, though he recovers quickly, his adaptability being something that instantly intrigued Bruce.

“Are you okay?” Bruce asks.

“Yes Master Bruce, it is just...well...Ms. Isley is apparently out on a date with Mr. Dent. I was supposed to pick her up at six when she got off of work but Mr. Dent asked her to dinner. I am worried, and refraining from calling her”.

Bruce smirks slightly, the thought of the green skinned woman who had come into his life as essentially part of Harley’s luggage but had grown on him. A bit like a fungus. He nodded his head, feeling that his own inner thought fit to a degree. 

“I’m sure she’s fine Alfred. Pam is a big girl”.

Harleen was happy and shocked. Beyond happy to hear that Pamela had gone out with Harvey, though she was naturally worried for her friend, she was shocked that Bruce was just dropping names right in front of the two kids. Jason was too apparently, and he watched the man curiously. 

“I hope so sir. Is everything alright?”

“Yes Alfred. But we’ll be having guests at the manor” he says.

“My word….”.

“Please have two rooms made ready. If possible, can you please have a meal ready. Maybe...hmm, how about a few cheeseburgers and possibly some french fries. Two bowls of chocolate ice cream would be appreciated to be on standby”. The words “ice cream” seem to draw Barbara’s attention, and she looks at the man, a light smile on her tear strewn face.

“Who...who is coming Master Bruce? Are they in the car with you?”

“Yes, Harleen and I have them”.

Harley looked at the man, a wry smirk on her face as he reveals her first name. She didn’t mind, much, but she had wanted to be the one to tell the two. Then again, she assumed that it was payback for having essentially teamed them up with Question and Canary. 

“Master Bruce...are you planning on doing something….rash?”

“Already done Alfred. Now we just have to deal with the consequences. I’d also like you to make a call to Officer Renee Montoya. Invite her over to the manor the day after tomorrow. Tell her that a mutual friend will be in contact with her soon”.

He was now glad that Harley had attached them to someone with a way into the GCPD. It would serve more than one purpose. “Bruce…” Alfred says tiredly. “When I wished for you to open up to people, I did not ask for you to be reckless”.

“Don’t worry Alfred. They aren’t a threat to us at all. Batman out”.

He reaches out and clicks the communication off, severing the link. The batmobile falls into silence for a moment, Harleen too shocked by Bruce’s decisiveness to say anything. “Who was that?” Jason asks warily.

“My butler” he answers truthfully, causing the boy’s eyes to widen.

“You have a butler?”

“Uhhmm”.

“He has ice cream?” Barbara asks, focusing on the issues that matter.

“Uhhmm”.

“....I like ice cream” she sniffles, leaning back into Harley’s shoulder, still quite tired and now a little excited. She trusted them, and she didn’t have an answer for why at that moment. She just knew that she could trust Batman and Batwoman. They...they reminded her of her parents...before…

The thoughts send fresh tears spewing from her eyes, and Harleen hugs her close as the car moves onto a dark road heading up to the rear of Wayne Manor. The two didn’t know that, but they’d come to know every part of this property soon enough. Jason hears Barbara crying and leans over, moving closer to Harley while he does to rub her back. “Barbara it’s okay. I think we’re going to be okay”.

He continues to soothe her rubbing her back alongside Harley. Neither said anything, but both were mentally promising the children that they’d be just fine. 

**_Arkham Asylum, Pediatric Ward_ **

“Alright, come on sweetie. This way” Dr. Leeland says, guiding the young man through the halls. “Are you taking me to my father?” the little boy asks, smiling maliciously up at the middle aged doctor. 

  
She sighed and shook her head. “Richard, sweetie, your father passed away” she explains, trying for the eighth time to get him to understand. The white skinned little boy just shakes his head. “Uhh uh. He’s alive. Waiting for me! Probably here right? Somewhere in this building?”

She represses the urge to shiver in fear, not liking how he was looking at her at all. So assured, so calm yet so violent. He’d been picked up at a bar. Apparently, he was once again hungry, and looking for who he claimed to be his father.

When the patrons turned out to be less than helpful, he had mauled a woman nearly to death, a broken beer bottle being his weapon. The woman would never see or again. He was remanded to police custody of course, but from the way he was laughing so maliciously? Well...things had a way of moving quickly in Gotham when discomfort was involved, and Arkham was all too convenient a place to dump the unwanted.

“No, he isn’t” she reiterates, trying to urge him on into the cell that was before him. It was comfortable, as far as Arkham cells went. It would be a good place for her to examine him. She didn’t know what had happened to him in between the time of his parents death and his discovery in the bar, but with it being spent with the Joker? It was definitely not good. 

“You’re lying” Dick says in a sing song voice.    
  


Leeland just helps him into the cell, closing the door and locking it as soon as he was inside. ‘They shouldn’t have left me to do this alone’ she thinks, knowing that the task had fallen to her in the hopes of a repeat of what happened at the bar.

Her crime?   
  


Daring to speak up for Doctor Quinzel and possibly saving her her job at a staff review. In fact, the news was coming down the pipe that she would most likely be promoted to preside over the entirety of the east wing as its administrator. That was one step closer to Warden.

Sharpe didn’t like that.

So here she was now. Alone with a dangerous child. It was hard to wrap her mind around that. To her, children were supposed to be innocent. Perhaps not in Gotham. Not with people like the Joker around.

Dick instantly moves against the door, standing on his tippy toes to see through the grass. “Bye doctor! See you in the morning. Wanna read me a bed time story?” he asks.

Leeland stars back at the boy before shaking her head. His eyes. They contained nothing in them. No remorse, no naivete. They were like shark’s eyes. Filled with cold and cruel calculation and not much else.

  
“Goodnight Dick” she says simply, trying to remain somewhat calm and cordial. She had an oath to maintain. To heal and never harm. But every day was a test to that oath. She wasn’t sure if there was anyone left worth saving in Gotham. 

‘Harleen is’.

She was reminded so much of herself at her age by the young woman. Smart, dedicated and principled. Over the years? She’d had to bend many of those principles, but now? She felt a little ashamed of herself. At the time she had tried to tell herself that it was for the greater good of her patients. 

Now? She didn’t think she’d made the right call. Harleen had stood up to Sharpe and had fought tooth and nail without giving an inch. In Leeland’s mind? She was destined to become the Warden of Arkham Asylum. She would care for the patients, and maybe, just maybe, some real rehabilitation could finally move forward.

‘Gotham hasn’t swallowed her up yet’ she reminds herself mentally, flicking off the lights in the ward, signalling to the few children unfortunate enough to be here that it was time for bed. 

Dick moves into his own cot, crosses his arms behind his head and smiles up at the ceiling, enjoying the darkness. “Pappppaaaa!” he calls out, his voice running eerily down the halls. “I’m hoooooome!”

**_Three Hours Later, Wayne Manor_ **

Harvey parked the car, turning the keys in the ignition and killing the engine. He smiles at Pamela, tucked as she was into the passenger seat. “That was...well...an amazing night Pam”.

She beams up at him, sharing the sentiment. “It really was Harvey. Thank you so much. I’ve never been out to a restaurant like that before. And it was nice to talk and not be interrupted, or have a doctor trying to psychoanalyze me”.

Harvey shrugs. “To be honest, I couldn’t understand a lot of what you were saying. You’re too smart for me”.

“Please Harvey, you’re a lawyer. You’re probably one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met”.

“Don’t mistake a degree on the wall for intelligence Pam” he says, chuckling and loving how it felt to say her name. “I’m just an idiot like the rest of them. I guess I just have the unfortunate habit of having a conscience”.

She reaches out and rubs his arm, subconsciously scooting a little closer. “Don’t undersell yourself, especially not in front of me. I think that conscience of yours? It sets you apart from the others. It makes you a whole league better than Mayor Hill or any of his cronies. Just promise me one thing?” she asks, staring into his eyes.

“What?” he asks, knowing he would promise the woman the stars if she asked him to in that moment.

She tilts her head and smiles. “Don’t lose yourself. Don’t become like them. Stay the optimistic hopeful Harvey that I like debating with and just being near. You’re a good man Harvey, and with my experience with men? Take that as my highest compliment”.

He didn’t know what else to say so he just nods and agrees, letting the words tumble out of his mouth. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I ever met”.

She smiles widest at that, the blush spreading across her face. Before she knows it, she’s leaning across the seat and pressing her lips to Harvey, who eagerly kisses her back. He wastes no time, wrapping his arm about her waist and pulling her close, the two both working to deepen the kiss. 

Soon though, Harvey comes to his sense. ‘Oh no, don’t...as good as this feels, take it slow’ he says, remembering that Pamela was still in a raw position, and the last thing he wanted to do was take advantage. “Pam..Pam” he says, pulling away from the woman who still leans in to kiss him. Her eyes go wide as realization dawns on her, and she pulls away to her side, mortified.

“Ohh God, Harvey. I’m..I’m so sorry...I don’t know what came over me! I..” she begins, desperate to explain. Harvey just laughs and reaches out and rubs her shoulder, trying to calm her. “Hey, hey, Pam listen, the last thing anyone needs to apologize to me for is a beautiful woman kissing me” he says, further making her blush. “I’m just...uhh...sorry I kissed back so fervently”.

“Probably a rule against dating employees huh?” she asks meekly, deflating though she tries to hide it. 

Harvey is quickly on damage control. “Ohh, ohh no! No, that’s not it! Not it at all! Hell I’m banking on dating you” he says, how own embarrassment creeping in as he grips the steering wheel and tries to calm himself down. “That is...well, if you wanted to see me more, in a non professional way” he says, assuring her that he did indeed wish to get to know her more.

“I...just feel like I lost a little bit of control and didn’t want to offend you by pushing too far” he explains. “I mean it’s been one date. I don’t want you to think that I think that of you”.

She rushes forward, gripping his arm again. “Ohh good. I...I was worried about you thinking that of me too!” she says, sounding relieved. “I...I usually don’t throw myself at men, like ever, but it’s just the way you looked at me, and called me beautiful...I haven’t felt beautiful in a very long time”.

He reaches out, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Any time you’re not feeling beautiful, you call me and I’ll set you straight”.

She felt the butterflies erupt, fluttering all about her stomach at his words. “I’ll take you up on that Mayor Dent”.

“Not elected yet”.

“You’re going to win” she says, sure of herself.

“You think?”

She just nods, not saying anymore. Harvey opens the car door and steps out, moving to her side to open the door for her. She wanted to protest, say that she could do it herself and possibly have an argument about enforced gender roles but she didn’t have the heart for it at that moment. Truth be told? She liked that he cared enough to open her door and then hold his hand out for her to take. 

As soon as she is out of the car, he offers her his arm. “Can I escort you to the front door?” he teases, waggling his eyebrows at her. She found the action so ridiculous that she couldn’t help but laugh. “Why yes, thank you kind sir. I’m so afraid of robbers in the twenty feet it takes to get from here to there”.

“Hey it’s Gotham. You never know”.

He had a point, and she didn’t want to fight him anyway. She leans her head against his shoulder, and enjoys the warmth of his hand. “You’re a true gentleman Harvey. Alfred would really like that” she says.

“Do you think he’s mad at me for taking you out tonight?”

“Nah, not really...maybe a little” she admits. “It was rather short notice and Alfred can get kind of...dedicated to his time tables for things” she explains.

“Ahh”.

“He likes you though so he’ll get over it”.

They make it to the front door, too soon for either of their liking. Harvey let’s go and lets her move up the few steps to the entrance, not wanting to move to close. She turns and smiles, not exactly ready to leave his company either. 

“I want to invite you in” she admits.

Harvey just smiles and nods, looking down before looking up at her again. “I want you to too, but don’t. If you do, I won’t be able to say no. I want this to be special Pamela. You’re the most special woman I’ve ever met, so you deserve it”.

He steps up onto the entrance slap and leans in, gently pecking her cheek. “Goodnight Pamela”.

Her hand goes up to her cheek and she closes her eyes, revelling in the lingering warmth. “Goodnight Harvey”.

He slowly steps off of the steps, back onto the lawn as she moves into the house, slowly closing the door to keep an eye on him. He waits until he hears the click, knowing that she was safely inside.

“Harvey...you’re a lucky man” he says to himself, slowly moving to his car, casting glances at the manor and smiling dopily to himself. He starts it up, turning the keys in the ignition, turning around and putting the car onto the driveway. 

He makes for home, feeling like he was on top of the world.

“HARVEY!”

The shout surprises him for a moment, and almost swerves off onto the grass before he rights himself, knowing exactly who it was. He looks into the rearview mirror and he sees his own scowling face looking back.

“What are you doing?”

The voice was angry, as usual, but Harvey doesn’t want to engage with it. Pamela was infectious with how she made him feel, and he refused to let the voice bring him down.

“Driving. What does it look like?” he asks, turning out onto the main road and leaving Wayne Manor behind him. “Making a fool of yourself. She’ll never love you. Not with me around”.

“You’re wrong” Harvey says, though a hint of worry creeps into his voice. He shakes his head and takes a deep breath. “Look, I get it. You’re part of me. I’ve been fighting you for a long time. But…”

“Ohh so now you wanna try and make a deal with me huh Harvey? That ain’t gonna work. Soon? It’ll just be me. And this facade you wear? It’ll be gone and you’ll be buried. Maybe I’ll carve her up first. A nice little momento to you. This city needs ordering...and I’m going to do it”.

“You touch her and I’ll…” he begins, gripping the steering wheel angrily. “You’ll what? Kill me? That’s rich. You’re going to fight your imaginary friend for the green whore’s honor? Please. Tell me, how many guys do you think had her before you?” the voice teases, looking very confident and sure of itself in the mirror. “I mean, she just got a hot little body on her. I bet she used that in all sorts of ways”.

“Shut up”.

“She probably just thinks you’re a loser who can’t get it up you know? Begging you to fuck her with those eyes of hers. And what was little Harvey doing? Thinking about holding her hand and kissing her at the drive in. You pathetic piece of shit. You ain’t ever gonna get what you want in this life Harvey. Not if you don’t let me out” the voice warns.

“What? So I let you have control and you’ll get me Pamela? Is that what you’re saying?” Harvey spits back venomously, almost running a red light. He slams on the breaks, stopping just in time. “I’ll get us any woman you want if you let me out. I’ll get us power. Women love power and you know it. Like Napoleon said. It’s their aphrodisiac” the voice growls out, apparently feeling closer to victory.

Harvey begins to sweat, feeling tempted. It was too much. This voice in his head, pulling him in all sorts of directions and places. 

“That’s right. You know you…”

Just then his cellphone buzzes, indicating that he’d received a text message. He reaches over, happy for a distraction. He opens it, seeing as he had enough time before the light turned green, and opens it. He knew it was illegal, but he really needed to think of anything else other than the voice.

It was from Pam.

“Harvey, I had an amazing time tonight. Just let me know when you get home safe. I like you. A whole lot. I can say I like you after a first date right? Drive safe and don’t text me back until you get home” she wrote.

He smiled to himself, starring down at the text message, not even noticing as the light turns green. A honk from behind alerts him that the light has turned, and he drops his phone onto the floorboard. “Shit” he says, still beaming. He was happy though, happier than he’d even been. He begins driving and humming to himself, looking up into the mirror only a few minutes later.

The scowl was gone, and only his smiling face was present.

“Beauty killed the beast” he says to himself, knowing that the voice would be back. He always was. As soon as he hit a low ebb, or felt that he was falling away, it came, preying on his doubts and insecurities. 

But for now? Thoughts of Pam would keep him at bay. She was a case of Poison Ivy, he was more than happy to catch.

**_Back At the Manor_ **

Pamela closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her heart fluttering at the whirlwind that Harvey had unleashed inside of her. She begins to walk, almost wanting to skip, towards the coat rack, removing her jacket and purse, placing them on two hooks. 

It was quiet, and a little dark, not unusual for the manor but still, a little nerve wracking. She turns, ready to call out for Alfred to see if he was home only to discover that he was right behind her. She gives a shout of surprise, one returned by the English butler who was also startled.

“My word Ms. Isley” he says, his hand on his chest. “You frightened me!”

“Me frightened you? You frightened me!” she accuses, laughing at the preposterousness of it all. “Are you okay Alfred? I’m sorry” she says, moving forward to hug the man. He seems reluctant at first but slowly he hugs her back.

“I’m fine Ms. Isley. Perfectly fine” he says with a sigh. “Though, I was worried about you” he says, giving her a bit of a stink eye. “You were out pretty late”.

“Ohh Alfred, I was with Harvey like I said. Promise!” she says, crossing her heart. He nods, letting out little sounds of curiosity. “And how did your date with Mr. Dent go? He had better have been the perfect gentleman”.

“Ohh he was Alfred. He was. He took me to the nicest restaurant I’ve ever been to. So much better than Arkham food” she says, stopping while noticing his facial expression. “But nowhere near as good as yours!” she says, placating the man with the truth.

She went absolutely nuts over his fresh made chocolate meuse.

“We had a few drinks and just...talked. We talked for hours until they kicked us out. He let me talk Alfred. He just…..let me go. I told him all about plants and how they function, my childhood and things that were harder to talk about. He just sat and listened, talking only when he had something to add or...comforting to say! Ohh god he was just so wonderful. I’ve never been able to be quite so open and honest with anyone other than Harleen before..he called me beautiful!” she exclaims.

Alfred laughs aloud, indeed enjoying the woman’s happiness. “Well, I did tell you something along those lines before you left for work Ms. Isley”.

“I know but it’s different coming from him” she explains.    
  
“I know, I know. I hope you and Mr. Dent go on another excursion soon. But...we have more news” he says, unsure of how to break this to the woman. “Is something wrong?” Pam asks, feeling a bit worried. 

“No, nothing wrong...well, yes, no, perhaps” he switches back and forth, not knowing exactly how to classify the situation at all. “Master Bruce and Ms. Quinzel, apparently found two young children rooting around in the Manor’s grounds” he says, reciting the cover story that the two had come up with for the children. He hated having to lie to her, but...it was necessary for the moment.

‘I shall have a long talk with Master Bruce and Ms. Quinzel. They simply must bring Ms.Isley into the loop if she is going to continue to live here” he says, not wanting to keep the charade up amongst people he was rapidly coming to consider family.

‘I told him to try and find happiness. I wanted him to open up his life. I never realized that would create issues’ he thinks.

“Ohh. Huh. Well, did you call the police? Maybe find their parents?” she asks, bringing them close to the living room. “Unfortunately not. Both are orphans I’m afraid, one of which being Barbara Gordon, the deceased commissioners daughter”.

“Ohh no...poor kids” she says.

“Yes. Very. They were in such a state” he explains, leading her into the living room where Bruce and Harley were already seated. The sight before her shocks her momentarily. 

The two sat on the couch, the children in between them, a tv showing some sort of old cartoon in front of them, though it was unwatched at the moment. It was clear that both had been scrubbed clean and dressed in new clothes. “I had to run out to...Walmart…” Alfred sniffs, his disdain of the store apparent, “to get them some fresh clothes. They’d been on the run for who knows how long in the case of the boy, but at least a month for young Ms. Gordon”.

  
Pamela looks on, not able to help the smile she had at just how giving and loving her friends were. The little redhead was already asleep, resting on Bruce’s shoulder and huddled up into a blanket, a teddy bear in her hands. Bruce himself was knocked out, his neck craned at an odd angle as his arm keeps the little girl in place. Harleen was curled up on the opposite end, of the couch, Jason ensconced in her arms. 

“He fought so hard to resist her affections” Alfred laughs quietly. “But you know how Ms. Quinzel can be. If she wants to hug you close, indeed she will get what she wants”.

Pamela just continued watching the four, not knowing what to think. Jason indeed seemed quite comfortable wrapped up in the blonde’s arms, and even nuzzled into her shoulder while Pam watched. Harleen smiles and murrs in her sleep, her hand coming up to caress through the boy’s dark locks once more.

“What are they going to do?” Ivy whispers as Alfred closes the door, wanting to let them sleep. “They wish to adopt them”.

That was yet another bombshell to drop on the woman, and she stood, mouth agape before bringing herself back to Earth. “Just like that? Really? That takes months. They’re still going to have to call the police!” she exclaims before keeping her voice down.

Alfred leads her over to the kitchen, setting her down at the table while he returns to his dishes. “Well of course Ms. Isley, but, you as well as anybody knows that Gotham city’s childcare system is woefully inadequate. And Ms. Gordon is….a special case”.

“Her dad was murdered right in front of her. We heard” she says sadly, her heart going out to the little girl. “Yes, but that is not all. Apparently, her mother was behind the murder”.

This shocked the woman who couldn’t believe it. ‘Trying to kill your own child?’

“Yes, shocking, cruel, vile, despicable..” Alfred, says, beginning to lose his composure. He calms down and eventually returns to washing the dishes. “She was involved in some sort of cult who saw young Barbara as satan incarnate. She sent assassins after James Gordon and her daughter. She succeeded in killing one. Young Master Todd, Jason Todd, saved her life and has been leading her about Gotham ever since. He wont separate from her” he says.

  
“Why?”

Alfred turns and smiles. “Because they’re best friends”. He turns back to the front. “The special case of danger that still presents itself to Ms. Gordon, not only because of her cult member mother who is still at large, but also because of Commissioner Loeb’s open animosity towards her late father, Master Bruce feels that he can protect her here”.

“But she’ll still have to go into the system!” Pamela protests. “That stuff takes a while”.

“Perhaps but..Master Bruce...being Master Bruce, wishes to cut through the red tape so to speak. Being a Wayne opens certain doors. Time is of the essence with regards to these young ones. He, and Ms. Quinzel, do not wish to miss a single moment”.

“Always wanting to be heroes those two” she says, not realizing how she had hit the nail on the head.

Alfred nods. “Quite”.

“Do you think...maybe they’re moving too fast?” she asks. “I’m worried about the both of them. They’re my best friends and I see that they’re happy together but...parents? Already?”

“I wouldn’t worry too much” Alfred says. “They are both sensible people who are smarter than their own good. Many other couples have children on a much less solid basis than even their own yet they are able to make it work. I have no doubt that this is just another challenge that those two are uniquely well suited for”.

Pamela doesn’t ask anymore questions and instead just looks back at the closed door of the living room, the ambient blue light of the tv emanating out from under it. She’d seen the sight held within and decided that Alfred had a point.

Still, she was excited to meet them

“Does that mean I get to be Aunt Pamela?” she asks,

Alfred just laughs, nodding alone to her suggestion. “Indeed, very much so. It appears that they are not the only ones eager to assume a position of responsibility”.

“They just look cute is all” she says. “I can already see Barbara being a perfect candidate to take clothes shopping”.

“Well I certainly hope so. It appears that they will have to get used to lap of luxury”.

Pamela looked once more at the door and shook her head, looking down at the table and smiling. “You two are too good for this city”.

**_Gotham Sewers Eden Underground_ **

“Shh, shhh hush James. Hush. The Deacon wants to speak” she says, cradling the baby in her arms. James continues to cry out though, fussing at their position. She was seated on a makeshift throne made of boxes, and surrounded with soft blankets and pillows. Her entire ensemble now spoke of worship.

“Ohh do not worry for my words Barbara” Deacon Blackfire says, approaching as the men and women who followed them bow. He reaches down, caresses the infants head and calming him. With bright blue eyes he looks up at the man, reaching out to wrap his tiny fingers around his own.

“The cries of our saviour are worth more than any words I can say. And any words I do speak? Let them be of the saviour’s will” he says, turning to his congregation and looking over the shanty town they had built deep in the bowels of Gotham. 

“We have done well for ourselves. Our hard work has built this Eden, far away from the den of vice above us. We must still go above from time to time, our mortal bodies weak” he says, taking the child from Barbara and hoisting him high above the congregation. The little boy giggles, enjoying what he thought was a game. 

They take this as a sign of his blessing. Blackfire indeed seems to halt in his very place, a smile on his face. “Yes, but we shall limit it to necessities. Taint ourselves as little with their adultery and greed, blasphemy and hate!” he shouts out, bringing the little boy into the crook of his arm.

“Our soldiers failed” he says, Barbara coming up beside him and taking James, unwilling to be away from him for a moment’s time. “They did not kill the girl, but they killed the man who would best prepare her for her war against us and our saviour. In that, they were successful. Perhaps it was God’s will that she be left weakened, only for his son, our James, to defeat her in all his glory when it was time!” 

The bums all bow, some raising their hands in an orgy of worship, losing themselves in the ambiance of the cathedral like dome they found themselves in. “Yes. She shall be left rudderless, to stew in her hatred until it is time for her inevitable defeat. Her hubris will bring her down! The she demon, the spawn of Satan himself!” 

He raises his arms and then brings his hands together, clapping out as he makes his prayer. “Holy father, deliver us from all ills, and hoist them upon our enemies. Bless our virginal mother, reborn in her deliverance of your son, anew. Deliver her from all evil and assist me in guiding your son and thy flock to heaven! To the very gates!” he shouts, receiving a chorus of “amens” and “hallelujiahs” in return.

“There is still..yet another item to be done” he says, turning to Barbara and taking her hand. “Just as God used Joseph to raise his son, James must have a physical father on Earth, and his mother a physical husband. I, offer myself to this course. To protect and serve both the Ark of the new covenant” Blackfire says, reaching out to press his hand against Barbara’s stomach in reference to her carrying James inside of her.    
  
Barbara just smile serenely, having already agreed to this, but knowing that the congregation needed to see this. “Do you accept me to take you as my wife, and to guide your son to his destiny?” he asks, getting onto a knee to show deference.

She reaches out, taking Deacon Blackfire’s face in both hands before kissing his forehead. “I accept, as God so wills it”. 

The congregation bursts out into celebration, even the armed guards, the brothers and sisters militant, cheer loudly. James is taken from the crib he had been placed in, and settled between them. He didn’t know what was going on, but it seemed bright and colorful, and looking up into two smiling faces, one of which was his mother, he thought everything was going to be alright.

He giggles once again, a saviour urging his flock on to unknowing damnation.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“Tell me!”

  
The man smashed his body up against the door to his cell, his face framed within the bars. “Tell me he’s here. I know it. I know it! The doctor said”. Joker begins to chuckle to himself, laughing at the insanity of it all. He hadn’t actually expected the little brat to survive! After all, he didn’t think he was anywhere close to being made of the right stuff.

But apparently, little Dick Grayson had survived!

  
And now? He was here at Arkham, having been searching for his creator, the friend and supposed father figure who had so quickly and effectively led a young boy astray. Doyle turns and retracts his billy club, slamming it down on the white fingers that were curled around the steel bars. “Shut the hell up you piece of shit!”

He lets out a little yelp of pain, not having expected that reaction from the guard. ‘And here I thought they were Harley’s trained monkeys’ he thinks, glaring at the man before letting it turn into a smile.

“Ohhhh no, you broke a rule! You hit a patient! Tsk tsk tsk, and for little old me asking a question?”

“Officer Doyle” a familiar voice from down the hall calls out, and Joker wants to cackle in glee. As it was he barely held it in behind his hand. Harley, forced to come to his defense! It was working. He was slowly breaking her down. Hell he was slowly breaking the whole city down. He heard the whispers and he saw the way many of the guards turned their heads, trying to avoid even looking at him when they passed.

It was only a matter of time before he left a real lasting mark on this city. Only a matter of time.

Officer Doyle looks away, glaring at the man before shaking his head and turning, releasing his tension with a sigh. “Doc I…”

Harley walks up, hands on her hips and frowns at the man. “Officer Doyle..” she interrupts, raising her hand. “I want you to take the rest of the day off. Go home. Spend some time with the kids. I think you just need a break. A lot has been put on you recently” she says, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder, smiling to assure him that he wasn’t in trouble. 

Joker was barley holding it together. He didn’t understand. ‘She has a moral code!’ he fumes. ‘How am I supposed to break it if she doesn’t even follow it??!!!’ he screams out mentally. Normally he would see this as a victory. Proof that Harleen Quinzel was not so strait laced after all and was amenable to breaking rules.

It was always his way into someone’s psyche. A crack in their defenses. A vicious or selfish streak to let them know that they weren’t all that far away from him. ‘She’s supposed to blackmail him or something! You dumb whore! Try and get ahead!’ he shouts out in his mind, once again gripping the bars and losing his inner war with himself. 

“Thanks Doc. I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. He just…” Doyle says, stopping to look at the Joker over his shoulder. “He gets to me”.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about officer. I didn’t see anything”.

The words give Doyle reason to heave a sigh of relief, and Joker yet more kindling to burn on his inner rage. “Alright, thanks doc. Really”.

Doyle begins to move away, his heavy boots clumping away down the hall, leaving the blonde doctor alone with the Joker. She knew she was safe, and he knew he couldn’t get to her. Not at that moment. Everyone had learned to stop underestimating Harleen Quinzel.

“You aren’t playing fair” Joker says petulantly, a frown on his face.

Harleen turns, quirking an eyebrow and appraising him as if he was nothing more than a speck of dirt. “Ohh? Why should I play ‘fair?” she asks, making air quotes with her fingers after she speaks the word. “What about you is fair? About how you treat your victims? Was throwing Dick Grayson into a vat of chemicals fair? No. I really don’t care what you think Doe. Especially if it comes to fair”.

  
She turns to walk away, but only stops when something occurs to her. “I still haven’t given up on you” she says. “As much as I want to reach in there and wrap my hands around your throat, choke the life out of you, I wont. I’m going to continue to try and help you. The sad thing is, I don’t know if you’d be able to survive being helped. I wouldn’t be able to live with the things you’d done if I had done them instead. So maybe...I get what I want either way. The game is fixed Doe. And the joke?” she says, a smirk teasing her lips.

“It’s all on you”.

  
She turns and walks away, her heels clicking against the floor as she follows the path Officer Doyle had taken back to the main atrium. Joker was left alone in his cell to seethe. He kicks the door, winces at the pain he had inadvertently caused himself, and then walks back to his cot, sitting down on it to gather himself. 

He knew a few things, and these things? They were important. He knew for one that a series of tunnels and underground passageways crisscrossed under the Asylum. He also knew that from his cell he could access one. He would just wait until the right time. Yes that’s all it was. 

A matter of time.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

She felt better. Better than she had in a while, but now that she was sitting? Everything was confusing to her. The whirlwind that was her life shouldn’t be as it was. Little girl’s weren’t supposed to be on the streets, stealing food to survive. She wasn’t supposed to have watched her father die right in front of her.

She remembers it still. It was burned into her mind. How could she forget?   
  


The way he fell, the blood, the bullets. She would never be able to wipe that away. She began to cry, sniffling and walking through the large empty halls of the manor. She didn’t know where she was going, nor where she really fully was. Jason usually handled all of that, but he was still asleep.

  
She wanted to let him sleep. Life had been very hard for him.

The tears run freely down her cheeks, and she moves over towards a suit of armor, sitting down besides it. She tucks her legs up and rests her head on them, trying to bite back the tears that slowly turn into rage.

Her mother. Her mother had taken her father from her. 

She didn’t know why. She hated her. Hated her with the entire fiber of her being for what she did and she wanted to know why. She sobs even louder, soaking the knees of the nightdress that the man they called Alfred had been nice enough to buy her. She didn’t know what else to do but cry. She didn’t know what would happen, and she didn’t know why Batman, or Bruce as she now knew him, had brought her here.

A sound is audible above her, and a shadow follows it. She doesn’t look up. It was probably just Alfred or Harleen, though she was sure that the blonde had left this morning. She’d been pretending to be asleep when she came into the room she was sleeping in, placing a kiss on her forehead and whispering goodbye.

It was just like her mommy used to do.

“Barbara” the voice says, causing her to look up and see Bruce standing above her, looking down on her with his sad blue eyes. She felt suddenly vindictive, wanting to lash out at someone, anyone, for making her life so miserable.

“Go away!” she shouts, swiping with her hand and weakly hitting the man’s knee. He doesn’t budge, a veritable mountain. He doesn’t know what to do, but slowly he moves down onto the ground and sits beside her, letting the little girl cry for a moment.    
  
Slowly he reaches out and wraps his arm about her, beginning to pull her into his chest. She lunges and attaches herself to him, continuing to cry into the turtleneck he wore. He hated that Harleen had to go to work today, as she would’ve been able to handle this a bit better than he would. Then again...he knew exactly what the little girl was going through. 

He’d lived it.

He nuzzles her back, holding the girl close to his body. “Barbara..it’s going to be okay. I promise. It’ll be okay”. He didn’t know if he himself fully believed those words, but he did know that she could get through this. She would have a lot more help than he did when he lost his parents. He would make sure of it. 

“No it wont. It wont...my daddy is dead”.

The words struck his heart and he didn’t know that anything could fix that. But, he knew that perhaps showing her something could. He begins to stand up, still carrying the little girl who gave no sign of protest. “I want to show you something” he says to her quietly, though he receives no response.

“I think it will help”.

He navigates the halls of the manor, much more effectively than the little girl herself could’ve done, and he brings her to his study. He reaches out with one hand to open the door, using his foot to open it the rest of the way before stepping inside. Barbara had calmed slightly, but he could still feel her little sobs that wrack her body every moment. He brings a hand up, rubbing the back of her head and threading his fingers through her red hair.

He moves over to his desk and sets her down in his chair, turning it so that she faced the fireplace. She sits up, rubbing her eyes and trying to hide her tears, though he didn’t care if she didn’t. In fact, he’d prefer it if she let it all out. He kneels next to the chair, still rubbing her shoulder before pointing up at the mantle piece where the portrait of his mother and father hung.

“Do you see that picture?” he asks.

“Uhhmm”.

“Those are my parents” he explains, smiling sadly at her. “They were killed by a man with a gun when I was eight, right in front of me”. He wanted to put it completely out on the table, the harsh unfettered truth. For the first time, he wasn’t overcome with pain. Instead, there was hope. Here was someone who could understand and gain some sort of comfort possibly from what he had to say. Barbara goes wide eyed and slack jawed, apparently being one of the few people in the city who hadn’t heard about Bruce Wayne and his tragic past. 

“You aren’t alone Barbara. I know what you’re feeling. Every fiber of it. The sadness, the rage. I went through it. I still go through it”.

“I...I...I wish she was dead!” she shouts out suddenly, obviously speaking about her mother. “I want to kill her! She’s evil! She took everything from me”.

Bruce reaches out, rubbing both of her shoulders and trying to calm her, glad that she had said it. He wanted her to, to let it be known so he could help her down from that impulse. “Would that change anything?”

“What do you mean?” she asks.

He reaches out with his finger, wiping one of her tears away. “Would it bring your father back? Would it anything other than make you a killer too?”

“She...she deserves it!”. He nods, indeed knowing that maybe, maybe that was true. He had felt it often enough about Joe Chill. “She does” he agrees. “But you don’t”.

She didn’t know what he meant, and it showed on her face. “You’re a good girl Barbara. You have a good heart. Staying with Jason, helping as you did. Don’t change. Gotham needs good people, people who can show them that there is a better way. A way that doesn’t involve killing. Killing a killer doesn’t mean that anything changed, if anything, that only means there’s one more killer out there”.

“I...I don’t want to be better!”

“I know, you feel that now, but in time you’ll change your mind. The easy road? It’s rarely worth taking, and people aren’t remembered for taking it. I just want you to know Barbara, that whenever you’re feeling that ball of rage inside of you, that sadness that wont let go? Come and find me. I’ve felt it numerous times before. I still feel it. I can teach you how to use it one day”.

“Is...is that why you’re Batman?”

Telling her and Jason had been a necessary part of bringing them into the manor. He hadn’t liked it, but he knew he had no choice. Their lives were at stake. He had to trust them to keep his secret, and he’d sworn them to secrecy. Barbara had instantly promised, though Jason was much less definite. He had just shrugged, still playing the hard case, but he had a sense that the boy would come around. 

Harleen had taken him aside and talked to him, wanting to convince him to keep their secret. He had watched as she talked to him, trying to extrapolate on how important it was that nobody knew who they were. She told him about the dangers to not only them, but also to the children themselves.

Jason was smart. He knew to not open his mouth if it could make him a target of some mob boss or criminal. 

“Yes. That’s why I’m Batman”.

“Why is Harleen Batwoman?” she asks, giving Bruce pause. “Because she’s a lot like you” he says, reaching out and poking her cheek, making the little girl giggle. “A good person who wants to do the right thing, even when it’s hard”.

Barbara just laughs, apparently feeling a little bit buoyed by the man’s words. “I think it’s because she likes you” she says, blushing a bit and covering her mouth with her hand. Bruce just tilts his head and looks at her, knowing that the two hadn’t been made aware of exactly who Bruce and Harley were to each other. It was amazing how much could be forgotten in the whirlwind that was his life.

“Well, I certainly hope so. She is my girlfriend”.

This news makes Barbara happy who just smiles and nods, having thought that to be the case already. Her smile falls again and she looks down at the seat. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong now?”

“It’s just...what’s going to happen to us? Me and Jason”. She looks up at the man, hoping that he’d have an answer for her. Bruce tries to find away around giving her one, having preferred to have this conversation with both Harleen and Jason present, but he knew she needed some form of certainty right at that moment.

“Well, we wanted to ask the both of you but I guess it would be alright if I talked to you about it now” he says, the little girl now waiting with bated breath for his words. “Harleen and I wanted to adopt you”.

As soon as the words are out, a heavy weight settles on his chest. ‘What if she doesn’t want to? What happens if she says no?’

It wasn’t only a question of her safety at this point, but now it was a matter of his own. He’d been playing too fast, and too loose, or that was what his mind was telling him. ‘Relax puddin. You’re doing the right thing. A little trust huh?’

Harleen’s voice had seemed to come to him more often than not when he needed guidance of a more emotional variety. He just wished she was there in person to assist rather than as a construct in his mind. 

“What did you think about that?”

“Does that mean, you’d be like my new mommy and daddy?” she asks, mulling over. Bruce smiles and nods. “A little, but you don’t have to call us that. All it really means is that you’d have a safe place to say. A place where we’d be able to look out for you and take care of you”.

“Jason too?”

Bruce laughs aloud, loving how even now her concern was for the little boy who was her protector. “Yes. Jason too. We’re going to ask him too, but we’re hoping you both want to stay”.

“Will...will you teach me?” she asks.

“Teach you what?”

“How to be a hero?”.

It was one of the toughest questions he had faced up to this point. She was looking at him, her eyes searching his for any evidence that he would tell her a lie. He wanted to tell her a flat out no. He wanted to put it down that under no circumstances would he bring a child into his war. Two children nonetheless as he doubted that Jason would let Barbara go alone. 

There was the fear. Fear that if left alone and unchecked, she’d give into those dark impulses that she’d already shared concerning her mother. He almost had, but Alfred had been there to ensure he didn’t fall into that pit. Barbara would have him, Harleen and Jason.

He liked the odds.

Still, the desire for revenge burning inside her was never going to go away. Maybe it shouldn’t. Bruce looks down at his feet, coming to yet another momentous decision. He reaches out and takes Barbara’s hand, caressing it lightly with his thumb. “Yes. I will. But not right away. We’ll start training but you’re not ready. Not yet”.

Without a word Barbara leans forward out of the chair and wraps her arms around Bruce’s neck, cuddling her body close to him. She was a maelstrom of emotions, and Bruce was too. “I want to stay” she says, and Bruce smiles, closing his eyes and kiss the top of her head. “I’m glad. You two are growing on me, even after a few days”.

He sets her down and offers her his hand, which she takes eagerly, threading her tiny fingers through his own. “Now, how about we wake up Jason and go down for some breakfast? I’m surprised Alfred didn’t wake you up and have it already made” he teases.    
  
“Can I have eggs?” she asks.

“You can have whatever you want sweetie” he explains. “I like scrambled eggs. They’re my favorite. Daddy let me put ketchup on them, and I really like ketch…” she began to ramble, Bruce letting her speak. He was glad for it. Ecstatic even, to see her open up. To have her tears dry, if only for a little while. 

Still, he had made a momentous decision, and he dreaded having to tell Harley. He’d have to explain his key points both succinctly and clearly to her, and if he did that, maybe, just maybe she’d understand. But right now? He was too focused on the little girl, who’s hand he was holding. She wasn’t alone and that was what mattered.

Now they just had to work on skirting the lines of the system, and for that? They needed an inside player. Renee Montoya would do. 

**_Campaign Office of Harvey Dent_ **

She had sat in front of her laptop now for hours, writing up different data from certain polling centers for Harvey. It was important work, though she would be lying if she didn’t find it tiring. 

“I’m here to see Dent”.

The voice pulls her out of her screen induced stupor, and she looks up to see a completely unexpected face. Hamilton Hill. The mayor. She had never met him before, but everyone knew who he was, and everyone feared him. 

Not Pamela though.

“I’m afraid he’s busy. Doesn’t have time for low life parasites” she says, standing up and glaring at the man, refusing to back down. “Enough with the games” a guard of Hill’s says, moving forward and grabbing her arm. “You go in and get Dent, or I’ll go in and drag him out”.

Pamela looks at the grip he had on his arm, and then back at the man, a disdainful look in her eye. “Take your hand off of me”.

“Or what?” he asks, chuckling to himself. “Ain’t no plants around here you green freak”. Just then the door opens and Harvey steps out of his office, having heard the commotion. It only takes one look at the man before his face contorts into the familiar one that taunted him in the mirror. “You want to keep that hand? Let her go”.

His voice had devolved into a low growl, and Pamela was shocked, staring at the man in something akin to shock. She would be lying if she said she didn’t find that voice alluring. He man shoves her back, but in the process he releases her arm and turns to advance on Dent. “You don’t give me orders you piece of sh…”

Harvey’s fist darts out, catching the hulking man right on the chin and sending him crashing to the ground right in front of Pamela’s desk. Harvey is on him instantly, grasping him the shirt collar and glaring into the dazed man’s face. His fist was raised, coming down for another strike. “You ever touch her again, and I’ll rip you apart! You fucking hear me?!!” he shouts, bringing his fist down on the man’s face once again.    
  
Mayor Hill steps back in shock, but the other guard foolishly advances, trying to save his friend from the onslaught of the DA. “Nobody touches her!” he shouts out again, looking up just in time to watch two green vines wrap around the other thug’s feet and hands, effectively tying him down. Ivy had used her daisy to stop the heavily muscled man, but now she rushes to Harvey’s side, taking his wrist in her hand to prevent him from hitting the downed man again. 

“Harvey! Harvey stop!” she pleads, and something in her voice shakes away the fog. He looks first at his own clenched fist, and then Pamela’s worried expression. He then turns his attention to the man below him, appraising his ruined face and realizing that he had done that.

“Harvey..” Pamela begins, not sure of what to say and being a little afraid.    
  
The DA stands up quickly, moving away from the man who slowly makes his way to his own feet. He turns, resting against the desk and breathing heavily. “What did you want Hill?”

The older man was silent, in shock at what he had seen, and so was the rest of Harvey’s volunteer staff. He is able to collect himself though, especially as Harvey has her vines drop the suspended man, slowly retracting back into the flower pot. “I came to offer you a way out” he says. “It’s finished. Done”.

“It ain’t over until it’s over. I intend to fight you to the last second” he says, trying to fix his tie and calm the cold sweat that had broken out over his forehead. Pamela just cast a warning glare over at the trio before moving to Harvey’s back, her hand coming up to caress it. “Harvey, Harvey are you okay?” she asks, reaching up for his face.

He turns away from her, not wanting her to look at him at that moment before he turns back to Hill. “You’re only here because you know your house of cards is collapsing right under your feet”.

“I’m polling pretty…”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. Whatever. Whatever it is you’re going to say, save it. Get out. I don’t want any deal you’re offering. I’ll see you on the way out of city hall”.

“So, that’s all you have to say on this?” Hill asks, folding his hands behind his back. “It is”.

“Good. Good. My associates and I shall see ourselves out then” he says, pretending to not be affected by what he had just seen, though it was clear that he was deeply shaken. The staff continues to watch, while Harvey further collects himself, retreating into his office without a word.

Pamela was shocked, but she wasn’t going to let this stand. She follows quickly behind him, slipping through the door right before it closes, slamming it behind her. “Harvey” she begins firmly. “What was that?”

Harvey just kept looking out the window, ashamed of how he’d lost his cool. “Nothing”.

“It was something” she explains, moving to his back and placing her hands on his shoulder. “Talk to me Harv”.

“I...I think maybe we should put some professional distance between one another Ms. Isley” he says out of left field, shocking and somewhat hurting her. She brings her hand up to her chest as he moves away from her, towards another window. She wanted to cry, but for some reason Harleen was in her head.

‘You know there’s more to this. He doesn’t want you gone. Fight!’

“No”

“Excuse me?” he asks, turning around to see the woman advancing on him, this time from the front. She pushes him back to the wall and keeps him there, though it was a soft touch. “No. I’m not “putting professional distance” between us Harvey. Not unless you give me an answer that isn’t bullshit”. 

“Pamela…” he says, trying to be firm, but it was very hard when she looked up at him with those green eyes of hers, so vibrant and full of life. “Tell me what happened”. Her tone was firm and insistent, leaving no room for disagreement.

“Pamela this is serious” he says, reaching out and taking her waist. “I don’t want to hurt you”.

“You are hurting me. By not being honest” she retorts.

That hit him and he turns his head and sighs. “I...I have a problem. Maybe one that’s been stewing inside of me for a long time. I think...I…”

She reaches up to caress his cheek, working on soothing him and assuring him that she’d be there, for whatever he had to say. “It’s like there are two people in my head. Me...and well, me but...all the stuff I don’t say but want to. All the times I want to punch someone out but don’t. He’s always in there, telling me my deepest darkest secrets as if I didn’t already know them. He’s violent and I’m afraid of hurting people, especially you”.

His own hand comes up, resting over hers. “When I saw that guy grab you...I lost it, and he’s the one that responded. I probably sound insane. Maybe I am”.

“Hey, I was the one in an asylum. Let me tell you, everyone outside of it? They’re the crazy ones”. Her little joke got him to smile, but it was clear that she had more to say. “Harvey, I know what that’s like. All that anger bottled up. The difference? You were stronger. You could go about your daily life, but that also might have a little bit to do with the non-green skin you have” she says.

“My point is, it’s okay. Getting angry is a human emotion. We all get angry. I do every three seconds when I see someone step on grass. Compared to the average person, that makes me literally insane. Especially in a red state”.

Harvey chuckles, but he begins to feel a little bit more comfortable. He’d panicked and that was most likely what spurred on his reaction.

“Now, as far as this, “big bad Harv” thing goes? I don’t care. As long as you’re not hurting yourself or others, that doesn’t change at all how much I am starting to like you. In fact, it only makes you even better as you seem to have been keeping him in check for such a long time. It shows that you’re strong. My Harvey? He’s a fighter”.

“I think I like the way you say that” he says, causing Pamela to blush as she hadn’t quite meant to say that. She eventually smiles though and nods, admitting that she did in fact like it as well. “Maybe I like it a bit too”.

“I’m still afraid of hurting you Pam. If we get serious..”.

“Who says we aren’t?” she asks, leaning up and gently pecking his lips, her arm pulling him into her. He fights it at first, but Pamela was very persuasive, especially when her tongue was so slowly teasing along his lips, begging for entrance. He wraps his arms about her waist and crushes her body to his, making Pamela let out an “eep” of surprise, though she voices no protest. Slowly the need for air overwhelms the both of them, and they separate, both remaining close to one another.

Pamela leans her forehead against his, a bright smile adorning her face.

“I think both Harveys still like me very much” she teases. “How do you mean?”   
  
“Seeing you, punching that guy out for me? I’ll admit, I enjoyed it alot. More than I should have” she says, reaching up to rub his chin, being just a bit seductive in her actions. Judging by how Harvey’s eyes remained glued on her, she could tell it was working.

“Can you maybe tell him that?” she says, nuzzling into his chest, with the man playing along. “Yeah, I’ll...tell him”.

The voice already undoubtedly knew, and that’s why he couldn’t hear him at the moment. Whenever Pam was near, he was silent, obviously afraid of the power that the green skinned woman held over him. 

“Good. Also, tell him that I’m busy tonight with his nice brother, so he should stay inside and be a good boy, not bother us. But, if someone steps out of line again?” she teases, closing her eyes and moving into her neck. “I’d really appreciate it if he came out to help. But only help”.

“I’ll let him know that too” he says, kissing the woman’s head and inhaling the soft scent of her hair. “Good. Do you want to maybe see a movie tonight?”

“Depends, what is it that you want to see?” he asks warily.

A wide smile spreads on her face. “A typical rom com that you’ll hate but enjoy only for the fact that it’ll undoubtedly make me very affectionate with you. It reinforces gender stereotypes though, so hey, you might like it to” she teases.

“The things I do for you” he says.

She nuzzles into his chest and smiles, idly rubbing his pectoral through his jacket. “Next time you need someone to talk to? I’m here. I’m not afraid of big bad Harv. He’s afraid of me. Like a schoolyard bully with a crush”.

“That’s an apt description”. 

“Well, I’ll just have to get him to leave my Harvey alone” she says. “But anyway, let’s get back to work. Undoubtedly the volunteers are all a little shocked at seeing you turn that goon’s face into one giant mush, so go do some damage control”.

“Thank you Pam. For everything”.

“Anytime Harvey. Anytime”.

It was still a little while until either of the two separated from the other. 

**_Batmobile, En Route to Happy Jack’s Candy Factory_ **

‘Why does she make me feel so guilty?’

It was true. The silent treatment? The crossed arms? It was working, but he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t take it back and he couldn’t change it. In fact, Harleen had caused the chain of events to happen in the first place in many ways!

If she hadn’t insisted on taking them in, Bruce wouldn’t have revealed himself to them, and if he hadn’t revealed himself to them, they wouldn’t know his secret and….

Well, it was all academic at this point. They were in the situation they were in, and he had to deal with it. They, if they were going to remain a they, had to deal with it. “Harleen…” he begins.

“What?” the woman snaps from beside him.

“I had to tell her we were planning on adopting her, and as soon as I told her, we had to tell him” he explains, focusing on the road. Harleen unfolds her arms and looks at him, sighing as some of her anger falls away. When she’d gotten home from work, all necessary files in hand for Harvey, she had been shocked to find a certain little red headed girl hugging her legs, jumping up and down excitedly. Nor had she expected the little boy to hug her opposite side, his head resting on the side of her waist. Jason...he was quickly making a huge soft spot in her heart. They both were but she felt a special kinship with the little boy.

“Bruce...I wanted to be there to tell them too. I feel like I missed out on something special” she explains. “I know, I know. I didn’t want you to, but...it all happened so quick. Barbara needed the comfort and she needed to know that there was a plan in place for her safety” he says, swerving around a shocked taxi driver.    
  


Harleen was quiet, and she looked at the man one final time before shaking her head. “Let me guess, you two bonded over what happened to your parents?”   
  


She could read him like a book, and the stiffening of his back was all the answer she needed. “Thought so” she said nodding, seeing this as much more important to the man than she realized. “And what about agreeing to train her?” she accuses, still having one final item on her agenda. “Was that the right thing to do?”

“Yes”.

His word, his single word answer, was spoken with such brutal honesty and finality that she knew he was convinced that it was. Beyond convinced. And for her? That was enough.

“Okay. But we do everything to make sure they’re safe. You got me?”

“Hmm” 

They were already on the same page. Harleen turns and looks out the window, reaching out to place her hand on the man’s thigh. He notices and turns for a moment, studying her. “I forgive you. I was being a little childish wasn’t I?” she asks.

“A little”.

“You were supposed to disagree with me Bruce” she teases, not minding the honest answer he gave. She can’t help but chuckle, shaking her head. “What?”

“That was our first fight” she explains. “Our first fight as a bona fide couple”,

Bruce smiled to himself, the only thought on his mind being that he hoped they all went as easily as that had. ‘Still, the half an hour of the silent treatment wasn’t nice’. Between that, and the pout? Harleen had too many weapons in her arsenal to get her way. 

“Let’s go meet Question. We need to convince him to get Montoya on our side”.

“It shouldn’t be hard. Montoya? She’s a good egg”.

“I hope so”.

**_Happy Jack’s Candy Factory Rooftop_ **

“Soooo…..what’s your favorite food?”

“Why would you possibly need to know that?”

The blonde bombshell leaned back against the brick wall, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know. Ask me nicely and I might cook it for you” Canary teases the Question, who had assumed a position on the edge, looking out over the city.

“Hardly. You don’t seem the type to cook”.

She puts a hand to her chest, gasping to mimic outrage. “I’ll have you know I can boil water pretty good” she teases, walking over towards him and leaning over the side, joining him in watching the city. “It’s ugly isn’t it? Everything is dirty, crime ridden and all together a shit show, but...I like the lights. So maybe it’s not so ugly”.

She didn’t realize it, but Question had turned his head, admiring her face as she smiles, the sensuous line of her lips attracting his gaze. He forgets that she didn’t know he was watching her and continues. She turns and smiles even wider at the realization, though he turns his head away quick enough.

“Hey, hey!” she teases, reaching out to grab his chin, forcing him to look back at her. “Not fair babydoll. If you’re checking me out, I deserve to know it”.

“I wasn’t checking you out” he meekly defends himself, knowing that she didn’t buy that in the slightest. “Yeah you were. It’s okay. I want you to” she teases flirtatiously, moving in a little closer and letting her fingers trace over his mask. For some reason, he lets her. “Hmm...I feel your face under there, sooooo you do have a face. Interesting….can I see it?” she asks, suddenly excited as she jumps up and down. Question felt his eyes drawn to her chest, which bounced up with her movement.

“Question. Canary” a voice interrupts, causing the two to turn and see Batman and Batwoman walk up, though Batwoman had a smirk on her lips at seeing the two. Question didn’t understand why until he realized that his hands had gone to Canary’s waist when he was startled. The blonde only notices it then and bites her lip as she looks down. “Ohh? Now that is interesting”.

He retracts his hands quickly, acting as if he had been been burnt. He turns and walks towards Batman, his shoulders hunched and his hands in his pocket. Canary follows behind him, practically skipping. 

“Batman” Question says, turning to Harleen. “Batwoman”. 

“Hello Question. We didn’t interrupt nothing did we?” she asks teasingly. He doesn’t have a chance to answer as Canary comes up behind him, resting her arm over his shoulder. “Nothing important. Just having a few words with handsome” she says.

“Ahh, well...maybe we should make this quick then” Harleen teases right back. She was eager to get back to the manor, wanting to spend some time with the kids before they went off to bed. It was hard, trying to make her duties as a doctor, Batwoman and now an as of yet un-classified caregiver, but for some reason she had never been happier. She was making a difference in all three places, she just knew it!

Batman nods and steps forwards, retracting two communicators from his belt and handing one off to each of the other two heroes who take the devices and study them. “This will allow us to talk or call on one another if we need assistance. Try and keep their usage limited to our work”. 

Question nods, pocketing his communicator while Canary frowns. “Aww, so no girl talk with Batwoman huh?” 

Batman ignores her, turning back to the Question. “You said you knew detective Montoya” he says, stating the obvious. The man just nods back. “I do. We’ve been working together”.

“Good. We need your help”.

“What can I do?”

Batman is silent for a moment, but he gathers up the courage to speak when he sees Harleen’s smile and received her nudge. “Bruce Wayne needs her assistance, or rather two children he has taken in”.

“Woah, woah, so wait, you know Bruce Wayne?” Canary steps in, making this the most tedious part of their conversation. “We do. He bankrolls much of our effort. He doesn’t know our identities though. We need his involvement to remain secret”.

Dinah recovers from this quickly enough, splaying out her hands. “Hey no, that’s cool. I get it. Rich boy wants to help? Let him help. Ask him if he can give us some toys too” she teases, cocking out her hip and placing her hand on it. Bruce smirks, nodding. “Maybe. After some time”.

“What did Bruce Wayne need me to do? And what can Montoya do for those kids?” Question asks, getting back to the issue. 

“One of the children is Barbara Gordon” Harleen says. “And the other? A little boy who saved her life. We have reason to believe that they’re both in danger if they go back into the system” she explains, causing the smirk to fall from Dinah’s face. “Ohh god..that poor little girl. I heard about what happened to her. They still haven’t caught her mother right? Or the freak who leads her?”

“No. Deacon Blackfire and Barbara Gordon are still at large. We haven’t found the body of James Gordon Jr. which leads us to believe that he is still alive”.

“Damn...well...Q, what can we do?” she asks the faceless man who seems to be mulling it over.

“I’m guessing you want Montoya to falsify some paper work or something to that degree correct?” he asks. Batman nods. “Yes”.

“You do realize that that would be breaking the law right?”

Bruce nods again, but he had an argument ready. “From everything I’ve heard, Montoya trusts me, and she trusts you. I’m asking you to get her to rely on both of those leaps of faith to ensure the protection of two innocent children” he says.

Question was silent, everyone waiting for his answer.

“Are you sure they’ll be safe with Wayne?” he asks, needing this assurance. “Bruce Wayne is a good man. Trust us” Harleen says, stepping forward. “Those kids will be well provided for. We’ll be looking in all the time to make sure of it”.

‘Well, that’s the truth at least’ Harleen thinks, glad that she wasn’t fibbing to the other heroes completely. 

“I think you should do it Q” Canary interjects. “I mean, look...I...I kind of grew up alone most of the time alright. Not getting too deep into the sob story. But if this guy is on the up and up? And he can take care of those kids? I’d say we’re golden” she admits. Vic knew that there was more there, and like all good mysteries, it had him curious. His heart also went out to the flirtatious blonde, sensing that they could relate to one another. 

He comes to a decision quickly. 

“Alright. I’ll talk to her. And I’ll make sure that she knows how quietly it has to be done”.

“Thank you Question” Batwoman says while Bruce just nods. “Well, we actually have to be getting back to the ole’ batcave!” she adds excitedly. “Canary! Don’t worry. Send girl talk. I don’t mind” she teases with a wink.

“Woah, leaving already? Where’s the fire?”

“Umm...well…” she begins, not sure of a good excuse she could come up with on the spot. ‘I can’t tell her I want to run back to make cookies with Jason and Barbara can I? No, idiot! That would give it all away’.

“It’s date night” Bruce supplies for her, crossing his arms under his chest. “We have plans, and the city seems to be under control for the moment”.

“Ahh...okay…” Dinah says, not sure if she would believe that the strait laced and severe Batman would ever give up on jumping off of buildings to cuddle in front of the tv. Bruce sees her doubt and decides to wipe it away. Pulling Harley towards him by her hand, he kisses her deeply, shocking the woman who wasn’t used to open, if still disguised, displays of affection. 

“Ohh wow” she says, blushing a bit as the two begin to deepen the kiss. She looks at Q who was also watching. He jumps when he notices that her eyes were on him. “Hmm...they look cute don’t they?”

“Perhaps”.

When they both turn back, the couple is gone, and Dinah is shocked. “How they hell did they do that? We stopped looking for like...five seconds at most?”

“They’re stealthy”.

“Pfft. You can say that again”.

Silence descends on them, and the duo don’t say anything else for a while. “Well, goodnight” Question says, moving towards the rusty fire escape. Dinah wasn’t sure why, but she really didn’t want him to go. She rushes forward, stopping him by grabbing his gloved hand. “Hey wait!”

The man stops, and she suddenly found that she didn’t have a plan for what to say after that. “Yes?” he asks.

“Umm...you busy? I mean now”.

“Not exactly”.

“Well if not, I kind of had this...thing, I’ve been working. More like a case I guess. I think they’re moving heroin out of an ice cream truck. I see it park in this big warehouse every night. I’ve been scoping and waiting for a good moment to investigate. It had a guard dog. That’s it. Still...wouldn’t mind some company”.

The gears were instantly moving in the man’s head. It all sounded so conspiratorial. Heroin through an ice cream truck? In his world, it was not only possible, but indeed probable. There was also the look on the woman’s face. She seemed to be blushing, as if she had lost a bit of the confidence that her flirtatious nature seemed to exude. She wanted him to say yes, and he didn’t know why.

Why did she seem to like him so much after only a few meetings and scattered phone conversations? It was a mystery, one he wanted to solve. 

“Sounds fun”.

She smiles very wide, moving up beside him and yet still keeping a hold of his hand as she moves towards the very same fire escape. “With me? Fun? Pffft, you don’t know the half of it babydoll. Let’s go beat up some frosty bad guys!”


	17. Chapter 17

**_Road Approaching Wayne Manor_ **

“What the hell are you doing Renee?” she asks herself for what felt like the tenth time that morning. She didn’t have an answer. She didn’t have an answer when Vic had asked for this favor, and she didn’t think she’d ever really have an answer at all.

She’d done what the man asked though, and in part because she knew that Barbara Gordon had nothing. The papers? They were in her hand, or rather, laying on the passenger seat”. 

It was a little shocking to the woman, how easily Gotham city records could be altered or changed, especially when nobody cared to look. She sighed and put the vehicle in park, being a little intimidated by the huge and foreboding structure before her. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. Her feet rested on the gravel driveway and crunched under her as she moved around the car. Opening the passenger side door, she reaches in and grabs all the “official” paperwork that Wayne would need. 

She could lose her job for this, especially if Loeb found out. Luckily, she had something in her back pocket. The pictures of Loeb and his...female friends. She’d been sitting on them, for now, but she knew that if anything happened she’d be more than willing to use them. 

She’s about to walk up to the door when sounds carry from behind the house. Laughter. Children’s laughter specifically. “Hmm, well, that’s a good start” she says to herself, deciding to do a little police work and check it out herself. 

  
She begins to walk around the manor until the sounds get louder, and she definitely can tell that they belong to children, but other voices were there too. She turns the corner, and the sight she is greeted with is one she hadn’t expected at all. 

The yard was empty, but in the grass were the two children. She recognized them from the photos in Jason’s slight case file from when he had actually been in the foster system, he was quite the accomplished runaway, and Barbara? Jim had shown her her picture enough times.

The little redhead was kicking a soccer ball, while a tall blonde woman was attempting to, or rather pretending to attempt to, get it out of her reach. Bruce Wayne, the most recognizable man in the city, was block Jason from joining the blonde in trying to intercept. 

“Ohh...ohh! Gonna get you...oof”.

The blonde fell, laughing as the little girl kicks the ball across the makeshift goal line. “Way to go Barbara!” Bruce shouts, picking up the little girl and throwing her lightly in the air before catching her again. She was giggling all the way, and he repeated the action numerous times until putting her down.

The blonde was just moving to her feet, reaching down to rub Jason’s hair. “Next time kiddo!”

“Yeah” he chuckles, a smile on his face. “Next time”.

In the distance a little further back, are two other people who were sitting down on a blanket. They are both easily recognizable. One had their faces plastered everywhere after all. Television ads, posters, political flyers, while the other had green skin.

She was a little shocked by that revelation. Harvey Dent was here, at Wayne Manor, with Poison Ivy? The Vreeland Vigilante?

A man in a three piece suit exits the manor’s side door, a tray of drinks in his hand. “Would anyone like some fresh squeezed lemonade?” he asks, setting the tray down on one of the well maintained brick walls that lined the house.

Barbara squeezes away from Bruce and rushes towards the drinks, leaving the man to watch her with a smile. “Come on sweetie. Alfred’s lemonade? It’s the best” the blonde woman says, taking Jason’s hand in her own. It was clear that the boy was shy, and also desperately trying to keep up the hard act that he’d used as a defense mechanism for so long. 

Bruce notices her first, and stops, walking towards her.

“Officer Montoya?” he asks, already extending his hand. She reaches out to take it, gripping it firmly to communicate the fact that she wouldn’t allow herself to be toyed with clearly to him. “Yes”.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you”

“Yeah sure” she says, reluctant to get to the point. She kept looking over at Barbara, who was energetically gulping down the lemonade to the butler’s astonishment. Everyone was laughing, enjoying themselves.

‘They already look like a family. An odd one, but still a family’ she thinks.

“Would you like a glass of lemonade? And allow me to introduce you to every…”

“Yeah, but before that we need to talk” she interrupts him, bringing the folder up for his closer view. “I want to know what your goal is. I have no idea why Vic vouched for you, or even asked me to do it. All he said was that it was important. So, fill in the blanks. You spill, or I tear these up and call the whistle on you”.

“You wont do that” he says simply, angering the officer a bit. “Ohh yeah? What makes you so sure?”

“Because you’re a good cop and you know what’s coming down the line” he explains. “Barbara is being hunted by her cult leader mother. Put her in the system, especially with someone like Jason, and she’ll run away. That, or get placed in a home where even worse things could happen than her death, and I don’t say that flippantly. Add to that Loeb, who hated James Gordon with a passion and who is known to be vindictive? It is an easy equation. She’s safe here. Loved. Happy”.

She hated that his logic was so quick and succinct, and it also made sense. She sighed to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What do you get out of this?”

“I...I want to to take care of them”.

That surprised her a little bit, but in retrospect, it probably shouldn’t have. “Huh. I guess you would understand Barbara...wouldn’t you?” she asks, knowing what he was really driving at.

“I do”.

“You’re not the only one in this city who knows that feeling. Why should it be you?”

He’s silent for a moment, but he already knows the answer. “Because I’m one of the only ones who cares and has the means to follow through”. The two stare at each other, taking stock and measuring the character they see in the other. Eventually Montoya nods and brings up the folder, offering it across the gap to the other man. “It’s all in here. Official paperwork. Backfilled all the way to April of last year for you”.

Bruce goes to take it, only for Montoya to pull it back at the last second. He looks at her, and sees the nervousness in her eyes. “Promise me I’m not making a mistake. Promise me you’ll take care of them. Let me look in your eyes while you do”.

“I promise” he says.

The two words seal it, and Montoya extends her hand again, letting the man take the files that made him the legal guardian of Jason Todd and Barbara Gordon. Bruce smiles at the papers, keeping them close before returning his gaze to the police officer. “Come on over and meet everyone”.

She follows behind him, apparently the conversing duo having attracted the group’s attention. “I’ll be checking up on them from time to time” she says in a whisper, taking one last chance to say what needs to be said. Bruce just gives her a quick jerk of the head indicating his agreement with the officer.

“Hello” Montoya says, having reached the little girl and boy first. Jason moves subconsciously a little closer to Harleen, who wraps an arm about his shoulder and smiles at the woman. “Hello officer. How can we help you?”

Bruce moves over, joining the group on the opposite side of Montoya. Barbara takes this opportunity to mold herself to his leg, slightly hiding as she peers at the hispanic woman curiously. Bruce laughs down at her shy behavior and rustles his hand through her hair. “Barbara, come out and say hi to officer Montoya” he says before introducing Harley. “This is Harleen Quinzel. She’s my girlfriend”.

Montoya spares the woman a glance, recognizing her as the famous doctor from Arkham asylum. She had been all over the news, and she’d heard nothing but good about her. ‘Alright, fair taste in women then’ she says to herself, unable to stop herself from checking the curvaceous blonde out. She was wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans and a sweater, both of which were conservative choices, but did nothing to hide the woman’s body. ‘A really fair taste in women’.

She reaches out her hand to the blonde, half of her attention still on the cowering red head. Harleen takes it and shakes it firmly, before drawing her attention to Jason. “And this is Jason Todd” she says. “Hi” the boy replies quietly, putting a hand out respectfully. Montoya found the action cute, and reciprocated it, giving him a firm shake. “Hey pal. Having fun today?”

“Yes”.

“That’s good. Very good”. Bruce looks down at Barbara with a quirked eyebrow, gently nudging her outwards. She moves, but still keeps a firm grip on Bruce’s leg. Renee moves down onto her knee, getting to eye level with the girl. “Hi. You’re Barbara Gordon right?” she asks, having already known that.

The little girl nods slowly. 

“I knew and worked with your daddy” Renee begins tepidly, reaching out to gently rub her cheek. “You look exactly like the picture he showed me. He talked about you all the time”.

“He did?”

“Uhhmm. All the time. He told me that you liked computers and comic books. That true?” 

Barbara smiles a bit, though it was a sad one. “Yeah”. Montoya picks up on it instantly, and places her hand on her shoulder. “He was a good man. He loved you a lot. Of all the things about your father, those two things are the ones you should know the most”.

Harvey and Pamela had also joined the group, but they had maintained a respectful distance to allow the officer time with the kids. Montoya slowly rises, but keeps her hand on Barbara’s shoulder. “Mr. Dent” she says.

“Officer...Montoya right?”

“Yes. Surprised you knew that” she chuckles. “I make it a habit to know the good cops in this city and if you’re on Loeb’s bad side? That obviously means you’re one of them”.

She reaches her hand out to shake his and smirks. “Likewise. You have my vote Dent”. He smiles graciously, thankful for the support. “Glad to hear it...ohh! Allow me to introduce you to Pamela Isley” he says, his arm around her waist as he pulls her forward. Montoya couldn’t help but check her out too, trying to wipe the dirty thoughts away.

‘Easy, easy...just went through a bad breakup. That’s why. Nothing wrong here’.

“She’s my….” Harvey says, stumbling to try and find the word to best describe Pamela. “I’m Harvey’s girlfriend, aide and apparently voice for when he’s tongue tied as well” she teases, shocking the man as she barges right on ahead and declares their relationship, all while laying her head on his chest. 

The man was flummoxed, but he did smile and blush, something that was boyishly endearing for the officer. She would be voting for the man most certainly, happy to know that he was at least human. 

“And that over there is Alfred” Bruce says, calling the butler over. He introduces himself with a bow. “Officer Montoya, Alfred Pennyworth, at your service” he says, every bit the strait laced British butler that she’d come to expect would come with the manor.

“Thanks Mr. Pennyworth. But...I’m unfortunately still on duty. This was just a courtesy call to Mr. Wayne concerning some legal matters” she says, couching what had happened in closely guarded terms. Harvey looks away, and that answers some of her questions about how such a ruse had worked. It wasn’t only her working on it apparently. 

‘At least he looks as guilty as I feel about it’.

“Are you quite sure officer?” Alfred asks. “Yeah we don’t mind some more company. Could be fun to have another player on our team. Pamela doesn’t play sports” Harleen teases, looking over her shoulder and sticking her tongue out at the woman who shrugs. “I don’t want to step all over the grass anymore than I have too” she explains.

“Party pooper”.

Montoya felt a sense of ease settle over her. Wayne, Quinzel, Dent and Isley? They seemed a well put together group. Hell, she knew at least three of them were, though Wayne was somewhat more of an unknown quality. Still, it was better than any of the other things that could’ve happened to the two children.

  
  


“I really have to go” she says, her voice betraying the fact that she wanted to do anything but leave. Bruce smiles, a genuine one. “Well, you’re welcome back at Wayne manor at any time officer” he offers.

“Thanks, I’ll take you up on that” she says, mentally vowing to do just that indeed.

She retracts a note pad and quickly jots her number down, handing it off to the little girl. “This is my number. If either of you ever needs me, you don’t hesitate to call me. Understand?”. The two nod, though Jason seemed much less enthused, only looking over to Barbara to make sure she was okay. It was something the adults always noticed. He watched her like a hawk, still seeing her safety as his mission.

They found it overwhelmingly cute.

“Alright well….bye” 

She knew how that sounded in her own ears, but she didn’t know what else to say. What else could she say? It was done and Barbara and Jason were safe, or at least she hoped. She knew that she would be checking in, and she also had a feeling that Vic, a man she trusted, would keep checking in as well.

It was the best that could be done and as she got back into her police cruiser, waving one last time to the very strange family that had been formed, she knew it would work out. 

“Girlfriend huh? Wasn’t I supposed to ask you that?” Harvey teases, cradling the woman into his side. “Yeah, but I got tired of waiting”. 

“I had a plan you know? It was a little more romantic than all that” he says.

“Awww did I emasculate the big strong man?” she says, pouting her lips and poking his chest. “I’m a 21st century woman Harvey. I get to make the first move if I beat you to it”. She reaches up and kisses his lips, continuing her teasing. Harvey doesn’t give in, not fully, and he takes her by the waist, crushing her into him while he attaches his lips to hers.

Harleen gasps and covers Jason’s eyes. “Hey, you two, stop sucking each other’s face off in front of the kiddos!”.

The two hear her words and sheepishly pull away from each other, though their hands remain on the other, with Pam’s on Harvey’s shoulder and his on her waist. “Sorry kids. Got carried away. You’ll understand someday” he says with a wink. Pamela was still winded, and a little shocked by the passion behind the kiss. Wide eyed and breathless, she watched as Harvey leaned in to kiss her cheek, staying nearby to whisper in her ear. “I think if you keep pushing me I wont be able to help myself, and I’ll have to bend you over my knee Pam. You don’t want to make me do that do you?”

“....Yes”.

“Well...later” he teases further, kissing her cheek and pulling away, leaving the woman feeling as if her legs were made of jello. “I better get back to my apartment. Gotta get ready for the party tonight”.

“Sounds good Harv. And don’t be nervous. Be yourself. The same inspiring guy that everyone wants to vote for” Bruce says, trying to cheer up his friend.

“Well, if you put it like that…”

“You’ll do great Harvey” Harleen interjects, looking towards Barbara. “Speaking of, let’s get you ready to Barbara. We’ve got a nice dress for you to wear. Pamela and I picked it out ourselves. We hope you like it a lot!” she says, taking the little girl’s hand while Pamela moves in as well. “See you soon Harvey. Hope you like dancing” she teases, kissing her boyfriend’s cheek. 

Harvey smiles after her dopily, watching as the three women enter the house, all talking animatedly to each other.

“She’s a keeper Harv”.

“So is yours Bruce”.

“Let’s hope neither of us mess it up”.

Bruce looks down at the little boy who had stayed behind, still not sure of how to handle him but giving it his best. “Alright Jason, let’s get you ready too. Ever wore a tie before?”

“No”.

Harvey smiles and shakes his head. “Don’t worry kid. It’ll be fun. You’re a little man in a suit. Women are going to go crazy over you anyways. They always do. Just nature”. Harvey brushes his hand through Jason’s hair and moves off towards his own car, leaving Bruce and his ward, or adopted son. He wasn’t sure which would suit them now, and he wanted to leave it until he found out from Jason by his actions and feelings on the subject.

“I’ll teach you how to tie a tie if you want. Or I can ask Alfred. He taught me” Bruce says, making his way towards the house, Jason in tow. “I don’t like ties”.

“Me neither” Bruce says. “When I was about your age my mom would always fuss over me to get it right. My dad needed her help as well. As it turns out, none of the male Wayne’s are very good at it so maybe Alfred should teach you” Bruce says.

Jason doesn’t say anything but he does nod and smile a bit, though it was reserved. “Are you going to dance with Barbara?”

“If she wants to. Why?” the boy asks a little defensively. 

“No reason, no reason”. Bruce opens the door and keeps it open, offering it to the young boy for him to walk through. He regards the older man skeptically, feeling like there was something more to why he had asked the question. Bruce wasn’t revealing his intents though, only regarding him with a knowing smile.

‘When you’re older sport, you’ll look back on this moment and realize’.

He enters the house and closes the door. It was a nice touch to have the yard filled with a few outdoor toys, something that gave the house and unexpected warmth.

Wayne Manor was crowded these days.

**_Green Garden Towers_ **

She carefully applied the lip stick, tracing the canister along her lips before gently sucking them in a bit to ensure coverage. She had never used beauty products before today, but she had wanted to. Now? She could. She’d added a little eye shadow and just a little bit of blush to off set her rather pale skin. She’d get some sun soon, but for now? Too much time spent underground and in a mask had gotten to her.    
  
She closes the lipstick tube and places it back on her bathroom sink, taking a moment to inspect herself. She had let her hair grow out a bit, and for tonight, she’d put it up in a bun at the back of her head, securing it there with pins. Her green eyes stared back at her, and she couldn’t suppress the smile she wore. She looked just like a high society woman.

‘You are a high society woman’ Selina reminds herself, scowling at the scar just under her eye. She had tried her best to hide it, but it was a deep one. She didn’t even remember where or when she’d gotten it, but she hoped Bruce wouldn’t mind it.

She hoped he wouldn’t even notice it. After all, the effort she went through to make herself beautiful for him was staggering. Her dress had cost her more than she’d ever spent in her life, which wasn’t saying much. It didn’t even touch her pockets. She desperately wanted him to like it. She’d chosen green, which was her favorite color, silk. It was a long and slit up her thigh, a slightly plunging neckline to accentuate what she had in the way of curves which were not inconsiderate. 

Still, she was afraid.

She’d spent so many years loving him through a picture that she wasn’t sure if she’d find the right words to say to his face. 

She pushes these fears down however, and wraps a shawl around her shoulders, wanting to get to Wayne Manor so she could woo the man. It would be easy. She knew it. It would be magical. A moment neither of them would ever forget. In fact, she knew that her life was just beginning for certain.

She walks through the living room section of her apartment, a very expensive and beautifully styled one that lacked any touch of personality aside from the cat bed she’d brought from her office. She didn’t plan to stay there long, and for now it was just a place to sleep. She exits the apartment, moving into the elevator and calling it. 

She knew she wouldn’t be staying here for long but it was an effective cover. It would do, for now. The elevator dings, and she exits off the ground floor. She enjoyed how the guard at the front entrance bowed his head to her, but she doesn’t respond. She wont give them the time of day. Not the petty citizens of Gotham.

This was her kingdom, and they’d abandoned her. Now? She was going to get her revenge.

She stepped out into the night, standing under the cover just outside the door. Her car was already waiting. A man dressed in a dark suit and wearing a hat to obscure his features stepped out and walked towards the edge of the overhead awning. The man steps forward with an umbrella, opens it, and escorts her to the door where he opens it for her. 

“Good evening Matriarch” he says.

  
Selina smiles at him, but says nothing else for the moment. Instead, the man closes the door and moves back to the driver seat. Once the two are safely ensconced in the car she feels more at liberty to speak. “How are you tonight Henry?”.

“I’m well Matriarch. Thank you for asking”.

He turns the key in the ignition and starts the engine, the Talon being more than dedicated to his mistress. All of them were as she had gone about rapidly building a secretive system of support within the very underbelly of the court. The Talon’s were fiercely loyal yet they still yearned for a life above ground to compliment the one in the darkness.

She smiled and pretended for the Elite, wanting to placate them that their positions were still safe all the while she was scheming to move Talons into their places. She knew that the Court had become degenerate and that it would need to be cleansed. The Elite, the new Elite, would be willing to get their hands dirty to keep their place in the kingdom. ‘No more pompous, narcissistic fools to keep us as their servants and playthings’ she thinks. 

“To Wayne Manor Matriarch?”

“Yes Henry. To Wayne Manor”.

  
She hadn’t been invited. She knew that. But she invited herself, and she knew that Bruce had been angling for a meeting with the new CEO of Stagg Industries. She had purposely keep herself aloof from him. She knew that he was suspicious and that the desire to meet her came more from his night time persona than from a desire to meet a possible business partner.

She wanted to run to him, but first? She needed to get things in play. Now that that had slowly been completed? She was ready, more than ready, and as befitted a princess to present herself to the king before becoming his queen, she would bring herself before him.

The car moved along slowly, making it easier for her guards to keep up. They stuck to the rooftops, but she was too well trained to miss their shadows. She saw them, and they saw her. She hadn’t asked them to do this, but she appreciated it nonetheless. It was a sign of loyalty and possibly true affection between subject and ruler.

“Henry when you drop me off, I wish for you to stay back with the car”.

“Yes Matriarch”.

“What would you like to eat?”

“Matriarch?”

She quirks an eyebrow and smiles, languidly leaning back over the seat. “You heard me. I am going to ask one of your brothers or sisters to fetch you all food. Actually, better yet, since you’re already well dressed” she teases, taking her pocketbook and reaching into it, retracting a so called “credit card”, a seemingly worthless piece of plastic that gave her access to wealth beyond her wildest dreams. She pushes herself over the seat and places it in the center console. “Take this and get whatever you want. For all of you”.

The man was utterly shocked by this largesse, and didn’t quite know what to do. The former Matriarch had never given them such a gift. “Thank you Matriarch”.

“Ohh please. Call me Selina, Henry. We all know I’m the Matriarch, but it seems silly here” she teases. “But you are very welcome. See what happens when a queen truly loves her subjects?”

“Her subjects love her even greater for it” he says back, focused on the road. 

“Hmm...very good”.

**_Wayne Manor Main Entrance Hall_ **

“Barbara, you look so pretty in that dress” Bruce says, holding out his arm and leaning down to offer it to the young girl. She beamed up at him, really enjoying the green ensemble that Harleen had helped her pick out. “Thank you! Harleen said it would look nice with my hair”.

  
“She was right. Very right. Hello Judge Brentwood” he says as a rather portly man walks by the two. The man nods and smiles back, stopping to look at the young girl. “Hello Bruce. Hello. And who is this gorgeous little Miss you are escorting?” he teases, reaching down to shake Barbara’s hand.

Bruce straightens up, his hand now resting on Barbara’s shoulder. “This is Barbara” he says, wanting to leave her last name out of it for a while. The city had just forgotten what happened, and most didn’t even know or care that Barbara had been found. ‘Better to keep it quiet until all blood is out of the water’ he thinks, vowing to only give the necessary parts of the story away as to why he was now caring for two children. 

“She’s my ward. I’ve adopted her”.

The older man is a little shocked, but Judge Brentwood was an old friend of Bruce’s and perhaps a little naive. “I had no idea Bruce” he says, still shocked. “Ohh, nobody did. It was all kept rather quiet. I prefer the attention to be directed elsewhere” he says, Barbara paying attention to the conversation with a polite smile, but being obviously bored. “Ahh, say no more. Those papers never get tired of you old friend. I will keep it a secret” he says, looking around and admiring how so few guests were here at the manor as compared to last time.

Bruce had only invited a select few, people he knew or suspected he could trust to assist Harvey. It was also still early, and due to the nature of the party much more lax than the first he’d invited Harleen too. The thought of her makes him smile.

“Well, it might be a little while before they stop” he says, confiding in the old judge. “You see, I also adopted a little body named Jason. He’s escorting my girlfriend for the night however. Well, if I didn’t have Barbara here I might be a bit jealous” he teases, ruffling the little girls hair and completely undoing the work done by the brush. She didn’t mind in the least and just giggles, loving the peculiar formalities and ways that people were talking or acting. 

“Finally, some lucky woman has managed to snare you, or...is it just one of those more fly by night things?” the Judge asks, leaning in to whisper the question instead of allowing the young girl to hear it. 

Bruce smiles and shakes his head. “Afraid it’s a bit more than that” he admits. “I’ve never felt for a woman the way I feel for this one”.

“Ahhh...so...is she the one?”

Bruce remains silent, but the blush and slight smirk give it away that he was indeed starting to think so. The Judge reaches out and claps him on the shoulder, winking. “So...when do I get to meet this mystery woman?” he asks.

“As soon as everyone else does. She’s still getting ready according to Alfred. She’s helping her friend who has been staying with us as well so I’m sure that adds a bit to the time frame.

“Bruce” he chuckles. “You have no idea. One woman getting ready? That’s a eternity. Two? Double it”.

“I’ll keep that in mind Judge. Please, enjoy the party”.

The man looks back at Barbara and waves. “You too Bruce. Take care of this little one” he says before leaning down. “High society can seem a little silly. Don’t take these preening peacocks too seriously little miss. If anyone gives you any guff or issue, remind them that you’re Bruce Wayne’s daughter. That’ll put them straight. And if it doesn’t? Bruce will”.

“Thank you Mr. Brentwood” she says cutely, having remembered to mind her manners. Alfred had given her and Jason a crash course in etiquette, and while most of it was confusing, she was trying to remember it. She didn’t want to make Bruce look bad.

The older man moves away, leaving the two to greet any other guests at the door. Bruce was studying Barbara, worry still moving through his mind. “Barbara, are you sure you want to be here? I really don’t mind if you don’t. You and Jason don’t need to. I understand this can be a little boring”.

“I’m not bored. I’m with you”.

It was that childlike innocence and just her contentment that made Bruce smile. ‘Such a good kid’. 

“Well, hello Mr. Wayne” a voice says interrupting what he was going to say. Both turn towards the door and watch as a woman enters, closing it herself behind her. “A little chilly out there” she says, pretending to shake off the cold while walking towards the man. He didn’t know who she was, and he couldn’t place her, but what he could tell? She was a beautiful woman and her dress only served to highlight that. 

“Umm...excuse me but...have we met? And did I invite you?” he asks, trying to avoid being rude while also wanting to get to the bottom of the issue. The woman laughs, a tinkling light laughter that seems to be designed to put someone at ease. “No, no..but you have been seeking an audience with me very persistently, and well...I’m a bit like a genie. You called, and here I am”.

She splays out her arms for dramatic effect, advancing even closer and offering him her hand. “Selina Kyle. CEO of Stagg industries” she introduces herself.

“Ohh! Ohh...Ms. Kyle! So very nice to meet you” he says, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake. Selina was looking him over, her eyes covertly devouring every part of him and savoring it. Here she was, in front of him, touching him. He was real and finally her dreams didn’t seem just like dreams anymore. She wanted to lean in and kiss him, but she knew that that was far from the right thing to do at the moment. ‘No. Play slowly. He is yours already. He doesn’t know it so don’t frighten him off’.

She does allow herself to luxuriate in his touch, threading her fingers through his and squeezing for a moment before releasing, regretting the absence of his warmth. She keeps smiling at him though, staring deeply into his eyes.

‘Can’t you feel it? Our connection? We fit Bruce. Please…’

“I’m very sorry to hear about your uncle, although...I wasn’t aware Simon had a niece” he says slightly suspicious, though Selina was able to easily brush it off. “I was in Milan for years. You know how he was” she says, her voice tainted with laughter.

“I...really didn’t know him well”.

“You’re a very fortunate man then Bruce” she says. “He was a disgusting, selfish and egotistical man who luxuriated in the misery of others. Stagg industries, soon to be renamed Kyle Enterprises, will be abandoning virtually everything he was working on. Chemical weapons, biological and all sorts of things. I don’t even want to get into it” she says. This earns her a nod of approval, though the detective inside had the gears of his mind turning.

“Well..that’s very good to hear” he says reservedly, not sure of what to make or if he should believe her. She was right on one thing though. 

Simon Stagg had been an odious man.

It was then that Selina looked down at the little girl, who was staring up at her curiously. It had been a shock for the dark haired woman to see her there, and she wasn’t ready for her presence in the least. “Ohh? And who is this Bruce?” she asks, moving to the side, her smile falling a bit as the little girl moves back, seeming to want to avoid her. 

“Ohh sweetie...I promise. I don’t bite” she says, once again moving forward. Barbara simply repeats the action, not trusting the woman at all while she moves behind Bruce. Selina frowns again, her heart not sure of how to feel.

“Ohh, well, she’s normally not so shy but, this is her first get together with so many people here at Wayne Manor. This is my adoptive daughter Barbara” he explains. “I also took on another child, a boy named Jason. When we found these two I guess we just couldn’t help ourselves” he says, wincing as he realizes he’d referred to Barbara as his daughter openly. He didn’t know how she’d take to that, and the last thing he wanted her to feel like was that he was trying to replace Jim. But the little girl didn’t notice, just staying close to the man’s leg.

Selina felt her heart beat increase. ‘Hatchlings’ she thinks, a wide smile coming to her face. ‘Ohh Bruce. We already have hatchlings!’. She wasn’t made aware of this, either because her Talons had not discovered it, or because the previous Matriarch had kept it hidden. Regardless, someone would be punished. But that was for later. Now? She had to win over her daughter.

“Well now, hello sweetie. I’m Selina” she says, moving down a bit to try and be as close to eye level as she could. It was hard to kneel in heels, but she refused to kneel before anyone anyway. “Aren’t you just the most precious thing” she adds, reaching out and running a finger through Barbara’s hair. The little girl doesn’t say anything, nor does she move away for fear of being rude.

  
Still, she seemed uncomfortable. 

Selina refused to relent, almost willing the young girl to like her. “Is everything alright Barbara? Cat got your tongue?” she teases lightly.

Bruce backs up a bit, shielding Barbara who remains silent from the woman who was trying to keep her hand in her hair. Selina is hurt, and it shows on her face. Bruce couldn’t help but feel sorry for the woman. 

“I’m sorry. She is really just trying to settle into life here” he explains. Selina moves to her feet again, looking at Bruce with a wide smile. “Ohh that’s perfectly fine Bruce. I understand”. Barbara had moved forward just a bit to look at the woman from around the side of Bruce’s leg. “But I hope we can become friends real soon Barbara. You’re just too cute and I can already tell you’re going to do great things for Gotham. You and your brother will be a prince and princess for this city” she says, meaning that in a literal sense.

“Jason isn’t my brother”.

The first words that Barbara spoke to the woman were harsh and gruff, holding no warmth. She frowned at her, a little angered by such a reaction. ‘Why is she angry with me? She doesn’t realize that she was meant to be mine? No, no. She’ll understand soon Selina. It’s all so sudden for her. All I have to do is win her over. It’ll be easy and after I do? I’ll spoil you and Jason rotten my little nestling’. These thoughts calm her, and she was already making mental notes of what to buy her, wanting the first gift to be very special.

‘I can’t wait to meet Jason as well. Two. Two already’.

She looks up at Bruce for the moment though, seeking an explanation of the girl’s words. Barbara goes on and further explains herself. “He’s my best friend”.

“Ohh...okay. Well it’s very good to have a best friend, especially when you’re so young. You’re very lucky Barbara” she says, truly meaning it. She envied the girl a bit. Her life being already so well positioned for a good future. 

“Where is Jason? May I meet him as well?” she asks, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice at the prospect of gaining a more positive reaction from the boy. “Ohh, well, seeing as it is their first party here, well fundraiser actually, we wanted them to feel comfortable. Especially as we’re announcing their adoption tonight. We want it to be casual though. We didn’t want to overwhelm them. So, I’m escorting Barbara and Jason is escorting Harleen, whom I have...ohh”.

He had turned just at the right time to see said woman descending the stairs. Pamela was behind her, dressed in a form fitting red dress while holding Harvey’s arm. But his eyes didn’t stay focused on the green woman for long, gorgeous as she was. No. His eyes instantly went to Harley.

She wore her hair down, her long golden locks splayed out over her shoulders. She was speaking to Jason, smiling and holding the young boys hand, unaware that she now commanded the attention of the whole room. Her dress was equally as beautiful. It was strapless, and served the emphasize her figure without being scandalous. It was layered in some form of fashion that he didn’t understand, the fabric crisscrossing in certain segments to show the blue accents among the overwhelmingly red ensemble. 

“Woooow!” Barbara says, smiling ear to ear in childlike joy. “She’s beautiful! Like an angel!” 

Bruce couldn’t speak, but he had to agree. He was now very glad that she’d kept the dress a secret. He was in awe of her, even more so than he had been before. Her and Jason continue to walk towards Bruce, apparently clearing a path as Harvey was intercepted by numerous people for a myriad of reasons, be they political or personal. Pamela was loving it, and remained melded to his side, teasingly winking at Bruce while allowing Harleen to move towards him.

A few feet away she stops and looks down blushing. “Well...do you like it Bruce?”

She had not added any makeup to her ensemble aside from a light bit of eye shadow and lipstick, her blemishless skin not needing any assistance. “I….I….”.

“Harleen!” Barbara says, shouting and rushing forward to hug the woman’s waist, jumping up lightly in joy. “Your dress is so beautiful! I love the colors. They fit you so nice! I bet Alfred brought you to the store to buy it. I wish I could’ve come. I…”

“Sweetie, sweetie” Harleen says, reaching down to cup the girl’s cheek. “One observation at a time” she pleads. Barbara just smiles up at her, nuzzling into the touch while Bruce was still trying to collect himself. Harleen loses herself in Barbara though, wanting to make sure she was doing well with the night as well. “And look at you! All gussied up. Girl, you need to share some tips with me” she says faux exaggeratedly, making Barbara laugh.

The redhead turns to Jason and notices his tuxedo. The boy looked uncomfortable, nervous even as he fiddled with his tie. “Jason you look so….hmmm….I don’t know”.

“Handsome is the word sweetie” Harleen interjects, causing the redhead to nod. “Yeah, yeah, yeah! That’s it. Handsome! Like Bruce at the office! You’ll run a company one day. I can see it. A nice big desk and a plaque and a secretary and everything. Ohhh! Can I be your secretary? I’m really good at answering phones. Pleaseeeeeee?” she asks, moving away from Bruce to take her friends hand. “Uhh...I don’t think I wanna be a CEO Barbara” he says, squeezing the girl’s hand back.

“Aw….why not?”

“I don’t know. It seems boring” he says.

“Well what do you want to be then?”

Selina was trying to hold herself together, but her heart was beating as if it was going to rip out of her chest. She absolutely hated this blonde woman, whom she was beginning to get an inkling of her relationship with Bruce. She hated how he was looking at her as if she was made of pure gold, and she wanted to rip her eyes out that she got such affection from Barbara when she couldn’t even get a smile.

‘What does she have to offer? Whoever she is, what can she give you that I can’t? I can give you the entire world if you so wished…..they should be looking at me like that’.

She brings herself back in, catching the rest of the conversation between the two, though she wished she hadn’t. “Harleen….I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world” he says, not noticing as Selina turns her head to hide her scowl. It was taking every ounce of her will to not rush from the home at that point.

“Bruce…”.

Without thinking, Harleen moves forward and kisses the man lovingly, her hand going to his tie to keep him pulled against her lips. He needed no such motivation and wraps an arm around her waist, dipping her a bit as she coos up at him. When they release he remains close. She reaches up to rub his cheek, a nervous expression on her face. “I...I needed to borrow some money” she explains. “I’ll pay it all back! I prom…” she’s silenced by another kiss, though this one was lighter. “As long as I get to see you in it, don’t worry about buying some clothes” he teases.

She blushes a bright red, all the more visible because of how fair her skin was, and imagines all the naughty ways she could reward Bruce. ‘Hmm...I did see that lingerie store. Never have worn something sexy like that for a guy. I wonder…’.

“I’ll keep that in mind puddin’”.

The two keep staring at one another until Bruce remembers Selina’s presence and separates, though he keeps her hand in his. “Harleen, this is Selina Kyle. She’ll be taking over Stagg Industries. Ms. Kyle, this is Doctor Harleen Quinzel, my girlfriend”.

Selina smiles, though it was a close lipped one to ensure nobody saw how she grinded her teeth. “How do you do?” she asks reservedly, hating that the woman seemed to knock her out of Bruce’s attention so easily. She was subconsciously sizing herself up against the other, and while trying to separate her ego from her evaluation was easy, it was hard to come to terms with the uphill battle she had to face.

‘Doctor. Of course. Unblemished unscarred skin. Wait….you idiot’ she thinks, castigating herself for not realizing it. ‘Batwoman’.    
  


Harleen didn’t hear of or even guess at the inner war going on inside the woman. Instead she smiles brightly and reaches out her hand to shake. “I’m very good Ms. Kyle. And you?”

The dark haired woman looked down at the offending hand as if it was evil incarnate, but slowly she reaches out take it. “Fine”. Her answer was curt and seemed to send the blonde for a whirl. She had the decency to not say anything. ‘Whore. Fucking whore. You’re nothing. Nothing. A distraction. I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you for even daring to touch Bruce or my children’.

Harleen looks back towards Jason and smiles, reaching out to brush her hand through his hair, disheveling it in much the same way as Bruce had to Barbara. “Ohh sweetie..you’re going to be a real heart throb when you’re older you know that?”

The boy just blushes and smiles, trying to avoid looking up at Harley but failing. It made Selina seethe even more, the hold this woman had over them. “Ohh yes, Ms. Kyle. This is Jason. I told you about him” Bruce interjects.

Selina smiles brightly, hoping to win over at least the boy. She needed some sort of way in. “Hello Jason. It’s very nice to meet you. And...doctor Quinzel is correct. You do look absolutely handsome. You and your father make quite a dashing duo!”

The boy regards her curiously, not sure of what to make of the “father” comment, but he rolls it off his shoulder, keeping his attention mixed between Harleen and Barbara. Selina feels herself deflate, not knowing anyway forward at the moment for the boy. 

“Well...Bruce...I just realized, I forgot something very important” she says, smiling to fight back the tears. This hadn’t gone how she’d wanted it to, and she needed to leave to regroup now that she had all the information.    
  


“Ohh, leaving already?” he asked.

“I’m afraid so” she says. “But perhaps we can meet soon. Sayyyy...Tuesday? I’d like to discuss if Wayne Enterprises and Stagg Industries can co-operate”.

“Yes, that sounds fine. I’ll have my people call..”

“Ohh no, no. Just call me directly” she says, quickly retracting a card and handing it over to him. He studies it, and then pockets it, making a note to table it for a later date. “Well, if you insist” he says. “I do. I want us to be friends Bruce” she lies, reaching out and touching his chest in a way that instantly raises Harleen’s ire. She looks down and smiles, letting her hand drop before turning towards the two children. “And you two...ohh you are just so cute. It was so nice to meet you, and I hope we see each other again” she exclaims, wanting to seem excited.

“Bye” Jason says, while Barbara says nothing. It was yet another completely lackluster response. She frowns as the two turn in on themselves. “Barbara, Alfred has shrimp. Let’s go get some!” he excitedly says, pulling the young girl away. “Ohhhh! I like shrimp!”.

“Not to eat!” Jason says. “Let’s throw it in Aunt Pam’s hair!”

  
“Jason!! That’s mean!”

“You two be careful” Harleen calls after them while Bruce smiles and shakes his head, his arm around Harley’s waist. “They will. Pam won’t get mad at them anyway. She’s wrapped around their fingers”.

“She isn’t the only one lover boy. I think you and I are just marching to their tune as well” she teases, poking his nose. Bruce is silent, still just starring at her. He reaches up to run his fingers through her hair, not having seen it down often enough before. “You’re right. But those two aren’t the only ones who seem to have wedged themselves in my heart”.

Harleen smiles and leans her forehead against his, loving his touch. “I’m burrowed in like a tick puddin. I ain’t going anywhere”.

“Good. Because neither am I”.

It’s only then that Harleen sees that Selina was gone, catching a glimpse of her moving out of the front door, exiting Wayne Manor. “Hmm..”

“Yeah….I know. She’s suspicious” Bruce says, the two separating a bit as they revert to their detective modes. “I don’t like her” Harleen says, and Bruce couldn’t help but agree a bit. “She’s hiding something”.

  
“We’ll find out what” Harleen assures him. “But for tonight?”. She reaches out and grabs his cheek, turning him to look at her. “I want you to dance with me, and Barbara, and Pam. Raise some money for Harvey...and have fun”.

“Are those the doctor’s orders?” he asks cheekily. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, they are” she says with a laugh. Bruce just offers her his hand, gesturing towards the dance floor where some big band music was being played. “May I have this dance Ms. Quinzel?”

She makes a show of thinking it over before nodding her head. “Of course Mr. Wayne”. She reaches out and the two begin to walk over, turning only when they reach the floor. Once they were close to each other, they begin to sway to the movement, neither taking their eyes off the other as Bruce begins to hum. “I’ve got youuuu...under my skin”.

She leans her head against his chest, smiling wide. “My favorite place to be”.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just a note on structure. I think I'll be doing overall three stories on this with each having forty chapters or so. Or should it be less? Let me know. Each chapter will cover respectively the 1st year of Batman, a few years later, and the final years before he stops being Batman. Just wanted to clarify. Thanks for continuing to read.

**_Dinah Lance’s Apartment_ **

“OHH GOD!! YES RIGHT THERE!!”

“Dinah...mmmm” Question moaned right back, trying to keep a firm grasp on the cyclone of a woman’s waist. She was moving everywhere, her entire body shaking from their combined exertion as she slams herself down on the man’s waist, sheathing the entirety of his manhood inside of herself. She shook, her breasts bouncing up and down rhythmically as she went.

Their sexes met in wet, harsh impacts, the man’s cock spreading her walls with an intensity she hadn’t known in a long time, if ever. “Q...I’m...unff...so….fucking….close…” she screams out, as the man was giving as good as he got. He moves his grip to her ass and begins to thrust his hips up into the woman, slamming her down on his member. Dinah screams, luckily able to keep her power in check though not able to prevent herself from waking her neighbors. Banging on the walls commences, but neither stop, both too intent on their climax.

Vic, still wearing his mask, leans up and presses his face between her breasts, still able to feel them and nuzzle as he gets ready to spill his load inside of the blonde. “I’m CUMMING!” she shouts, her mouth a wide O as she indeed lets loose, coating his member and lower body in her warm love juices. Vic, sensing how tight the blonde had gotten, isn’t able to hold back, and with one final thrust that buries his head deep inside of her, practically in her womb, he cums.

The two both shake as he fights to keep himself inside her, and she fights to trap him in, both bodies innately working for the same goal. He keeps lightly humping, his nature trying to keep him inside the woman, while she rests her hands against his toned chest, breathing heavily.

She was filled with his warmth, and yet she now felt cold on the inside. She leans forward, resting against the man’s chest for one moment while slowly working her way off of his slowly softening member. “I’m going to get a beer”.

She rolls off of him and then off the bed, letting her feet dangle over the side for a moment, sighing to herself. ‘You did it again Dinah. Idiot’. 

“Okay”.

The man’s response was quiet and simple, and seemed to confirm her suspicions already. She gets up and moves to the kitchen, not caring about anything else at that moment other than the beer that she still had in the refrigerator. ‘At least you’re on the pill’ she says, trying to look at the silver lining. 

Vic meanwhile lays in the bed, arms crossed behind his head while he looks up at the dirty ceiling. Dinah’s apartment wasn’t any different than his own really. Perhaps a bit more sparse than his own as his was filled with newspapers and other assorted conspiracy related items. ‘What are you doing?’ he asks himself.

He didn’t have a good answer. When he’d offered to help her take down the drug running ice cream truck, he hadn’t expected there to be so many goons. Apparently, tonight was the night that the drugs were being resupplied. It had been a tough fight but in the end Canary’s sonic scream and Vic’s mean right hook were enough to beat guns and knives.

‘Not that they knew how to shoot a gun anyway’ he jokes mentally. 

They had fought well together. He’d admit that. There was a symmetry between the two. She was the bruiser and he the support. She screamed and blew everyone in front of her away, and he caved in the face of the guy trying to sneak up behind her. She rushed in, he studied. Yin and Yang. It was something he’d learned about under his tutelage with Richard Dragon and he had come to believe in it despite his own religious beliefs.

They’d kissed.

It just happened following the incident. He didn’t know why but, they just did. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the mutual attraction that had bubbled up between the two relatively quickly. Or maybe it was just Dinah’s flirtatiousness. 

It was probably all three and before he knew it, he was back at her apartment with her, naked, in bed, and making love to her as if it was the last time he’d ever do it. Though, in his defense, it had been a long dry spell.

‘From fighting to the bed….we still seem to fit’.

He didn’t know what to make of it. He was still confused and riding the high of their climaxes but he did know that Dinah Lance was the most interesting woman he’d ever met.

In the kitchen, the nude blonde opens the door of her refrigerator, retracting a bear and pressing it to her head. She was trying to cool herself down as it had always been hot in her apartment. Tonight was no different.

‘And you took some random guy to bed Dinah. Nice. Real asshole move’. She knew she had a routine. She’d be attracted to a guy, flirt, screw his brains out and that would be the end. She tried to pretend it didn’t bother her and she’d keep playing the badass biker girl to hide it, but she knew that it was getting to her. If she had a shrink the woman would undoubtedly tell her that she had intimacy issues, or daddy issues, or some mix. It was all of the above and she knew it.

‘My dad ditched me so now I have a shit life and a bad taste in men. Real fucking original Dinah. Real nice’. She knew that he’d be gone or on his way out by the time she entered the room. Hell, that’s why she’d gone to get the beer. She didn’t want to put him through the hassle of coming up with an excuse. ‘Too bad you did this again’ she adds, closing the door to the fridge and using the edge of her counter to pop open her beer bottle. ‘He’s cute and nice’. She takes a massive swip from the beer before lowering it from her lips and bringing her hand up to wipe them dry. 

“Well, alone again naturally”.

She moves back into her living room/bed room and is stopped dead in her tracks at the door. Something wasn’t right. Her clothes being still on the floor where the man had ripped her out of them was expected, but she didn’t expect to see his tie. “Huh..maybe he left it” she says before her eyes rove over the rest and she sees his coat, shoes and jacket. His hat was still on her night stand. 

The next sight sends her into the realm of the impossible.

He was still in her bed, and now he was looking at her, or at least she assumed he was. She couldn’t tell, not with the mask still on. “Are you alright?”

She recovers quickly, his query reminding her that she needed to say something unless she wanted to look stupid. “No no, it’s just...I expected you to be gone” she says with a nervous laugh. The man seems to let his shoulders fall, the only sign that he was disappointed or unhappy with her words. “Ohh...sorry. Didn’t realize you wanted me to”.

He moves over the side of the bed, or he makes to but is stopped. Canary had leaped across the room, landing on the bed and bouncing the both of them off of the relatively soft surface. She was atop him, both hands on his face and her beer bottle forgotten, spilling out onto the wooden floor behind her. “NO!”

Question seemed a little shocked but he didn’t move from his position under the woman. Instead his hands went to her waist and he held her, her owl settling on his cheek and shoulder while her large breasts were pressed into him. She becomes suddenly embarrassed at her quick reaction and turns a bright shade of red. “I...well, it’s perfectly fine if you want to stay...I’d actually kind of like it if you did”.

The man doesn’t say anything but nods slowly, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. He wanted to kiss her, but he couldn’t take off the mask and reveal who he was yet. In a way both seemed to match even in their problems which were with intimacy.

Dinah slowly pushes her lips forward and kiss where his own should be, or rather were. She knew they were there. She could feel them through the mask. ‘I want him to take it off but….soon. Not now’.

She settles into his side, his arm wrapping around her waist while a hand and her head rest on his chest, her long blonde hair splayed out over his skin. “Wow. I didn’t expect you to be such an excellent screw babydoll” she teases, chuckling a bit nervously. “Thank you”.

She looks up at him, tilting her chin to get a better angle. “And how was I then? You’re awful quiet Q”.

He sees the insecurity hidden behind her eyes and he doesn’t exactly know what to do. He settles on telling her the truth. “You were an angel Dinah”. Her smile is bright and infectious, and under the mask he couldn’t help himself. ‘God, it’s been so long since I smiled’.

“Angel huh? Sure you’re not just angling for a repeat?” she asks, sure that neither one of them could go again. Vic just brings his hand from her waist up to her cheek, caressing her. She nuzzles against his touch, still staring at him. “I think I’d die if we went again right now. But...what a way to end it”.

“What do you do?” she asks suddenly. “For work I mean”.

He didn’t know how to answer, or why to answer, so he falls back on wry deflection. “Hoping I’m secretly rich?” he teases before the blonde shakes her head. “No, no...I guess just a little curious about you. I want to know who you are”.

It was a tough thing. Vic hadn’t wanted to reveal himself or his mission to anyone in years, especially a woman. Now? Here was Dinah, cuddled up in his arms and making him desire her in more ways than one. He didn’t want to be lonely. He knew that but could he trust her? Let her into his life?

“I used to be a reporter” he says. “But...left that behind. Now I work odd jobs. Mostly at restaurants”. He could. He’d do it slowly until the last secret he had, who he was, could be revealed to the woman. He hoped desperately that he wasn’t making a mistake, but Dinah’s look of happiness almost convinced him right then and there that he’d made the right call. “A reporter huh? Sounds cool. You’re not secretly Anderson Cooper under there are you?”

“One, he’s gay, two, I’d never work for a corporate media channel” he says before realizing that she was joking as she was now descending into a fit of giggles. “It’s going to be so fun to wind you up and let you go babydoll”. He responds by giving her rear end a light swat on her pert rear which akes the blonde give out an “eep” of surprise.

“Ohh yeah. Real fun” she says, even more assured as she resumes her position on his chest. “I’m a lounge singer” she admits. “Really?”

“Uhhmm. I know, not the most illustrious position but, the tips are sometimes good and even in the bars of Gotham wharves…”

“Can you sing for me?”

Her eyes go wide at the man’s words and Vic himself didn’t know why he’d asked but he’d always loved a good song, and a woman that could sing without being prepackaged and incorporated by some record label fronting money for the Illuminati? She was an ideal of his.

She nods, thinking of a song that he might like. “First guy to ever want me to sing after they already got me in bed. Putting me on the spot baby but...okay, since you asked so nicely and you’re so cute”.

Vic waits and she closes her eyes, breathing deeply before beginning. “Please baby, hold me as close as you can,  Make me feel so glad; arms tight around me, so right around me, it's good to want you bad! Please let me feel the warmth of your lips until it drives me mad; Please don't ignore me but just adore me, it's good to want you bad!”

He was enraptured, and her words settled deep in his mind. He watched her sing, and he loved how she poured her entire soul into the tune she was going on. ‘Julie London’ he realizes. ‘It fits her’.

The meaning of the song also revealed itself, and he was able to put all the pieces together. She was a woman who’d been hurt, abandoned. Maybe they were kindred spirits in more ways than he realized. ‘Just adore me’ his subconscious thinks, realizing that that was what the woman wanted most from him. ‘If you insist’.

**_Green Garden’s Tower_ **

The vase shattered against the wall, sending shards of porcelain everywhere while Isis loudly protested before rushing behind the couch. Selina wasn’t done, and she picked up the end table with ferocious power and slammed it down, shattering the wood. 

“No, no!” she screams, her entire body screaming in rage. “This isn’t right! This isn’t fair!” 

She looked for something else to throw or destroy, but she couldn’t find anything. She’d already gotten to it and her apartment was in tatters. Not that she cared. She never cared about the cold and lonely place, having already considered her place to be in Wayne Manor, with Bruce in front of the fireplace surrounded by children. “This...this isn’t right” she says, falling into a much less violent reaction as she begins to sob, falling onto the couch. Her head in her hands she shakes it back and forth, the tears coming freely.

She had been on top of the world mere hours before. Now? She was once again nothing. ‘Nothing without him. I need him. I can’t take this loneliness anymore’.

She knows someone is in the room. She sensed them coming up the fire escape and she heard the click of the window. “Matriarch?” the Talon asks, unsure of what to do. Selina just stands up, facing away from him as she refused to let one of her subjects see her tears. Another Talon, this one a female, follows the man through the window, obviously his mate. She couldn’t handle seeing a man and woman together. Not right now. 

“I’m fine” she says, raising a hand behind her. Both Talons knew that it wasn’t the truth. They’d never seen her so disheveled. They don’t make to comfort her, and she wouldn’t want them too anyway. She only wanted one man’s touch in the whole world, and that was being denied her. She wouldn’t let it stand.

“Are our plans almost ready?” she asks. 

“Yes. They are all ready ahead of schedule Matriarch”.

“Good. Go visit Mr. Falcone. Have a word with him”. She doesn’t see it but she assumes that the two nod, already knowing what to do. The woman speaks next though, deciding to offer comfort in another way. “Do you wish for us to kill Doctor Quinzel?”

“No”.

She turns and appraises the Talon, her eyes red and her tears leaving visible tracks across her cheeks. “If a woman were to try and take him from you?” she says, pointing towards the other Talon. “I’d kill her” the woman hisses, the mere thought making her rage. Selina smiles and nods. “Exactly. I can’t kill Doctor Quinzel though. Not yet. She is too important for our plans at Arkham. Maybe I wont have to kill her at all”. 

She moves towards the wine rack she had, a gift from her mother, and retracts one bottle. She pours herself a glass and drinks heavily, loving the sweet red wine that soothes her. “No. I can’t. I’ll have to do things the old fashioned way. I’ll win Bruce away from her” she says, mostly to herself.

“You will be successful Matriarch” the man says.

“Undoubtedly”. 

His mate was less sure. 

“What could she possibly offer him that I can’t?” she asks. “I am intelligent, quick, rich and utterly dedicated to him. She may be smart but what else? She joined him on this crusade. I know it. She’d Batwoman, but I’d make a much better partner for Bruce in the night. She has to be trained. He will waste hours teaching her where I could teach him instead. I’ll show him. And Barbara an Jason. I will show all three of them just how well I can do at being a wife and mother. She’s just a distraction. A busty blonde whore. Bruce will see. He always does”.

  
They were already gone, having gotten their orders in her words so by the time she turns around she is once again left alone in the apartment. She finishes her glass of wine and moves towards the window, looking towards Wayne Tower once more.

“My love, you belong to me. With me. Beside me” she says. “After your first night with me, as man and wife? You won’t even remember her name. I promise you”.

She reaches out and presses her hand to the glass, gently rubbing along it. 

“I love you”

**_Wayne Manor_ **

“Did you have a good time tonight sweetie?”

“Uhhmm” Barbara nods, being all tuckered out from the party. She’d danced with everyone, and despite being inexperienced, she’d had fun. The nice old judge had asked her, and then Harvey, and she couldn’t remember the rest. But Bruce danced with her too and that had indeed felt special to her.

What made her laugh was when Harleen took her out onto the dance floor, breaking convention as she swayed with the young girl. “Come on sweetie, I ain’t being left out of dancing with the princess!”

  
She had giggled the whole way through, as Aunt Pamela, as she had taken to calling the woman, had gone out next. All were laughing and giggling by the end of it, shocking the more prudish parts of high society who didn’t expect a political fundraiser to be treated in such a low class way. A few left, but none of them cared for their absence. The ones who stayed were the fun group anyway.

Not much was given in the way of money towards Harvey’s campaign, but that didn’t matter as Bruce was paying for it all himself. No. This had really just been an excuse to tie Harvey’s campaign to Bruce Wayne, introduce Gotham to Jason and Barbara and have some fun.

Harleen reaches down to rub through Barbara’s hair lovingly, smiling as she leans on the bed. Bruce was there too, Mr. Huffy in his hands. “Here you go Barbara”. He leans down and places it in her arms which rapidly wrap about the stuffed animal. “Thank you”.

“Have a nice night my little munchkin” Harley says, leaning down to kiss her forehead before Bruce does the same. “Night” Barbara says, turning in her bed before mumbling out “I love you Harleen. I love you Bruce”. The two were shocked but the smiles on their faces gave it all away. Bruce tucks the blanket over her shoulders while Harley rubs her back. “We love you too Barbara” Bruce says, leaning over her to kiss her cheek before getting off the bed. 

It was a struggle to convince Harley to come too as she was still looking at the little girl so intently, the smile never leaving her face. He places a hand on her shoulder and shrugs, signalling that they indeed needed to go to let the little redhead sleep. Harleen pouts but gives in, allowing the man to lead her out of the room. 

They close the door, quietly, but not before Harley switched on the nightlight she’d gotten for the little girl. “She said it! She said it!” Harleen whispers excitedly barely able to keep herself from jumping up and down. Bruce was just as excited but he managed, as always, to keep his composure. “I know, I heard” he says. “She loves us! Do you think she’ll be able to call us mommy and daddy soon? Or is that always going to be a nono?” she asks.

Bruce rolls his eyes good naturedly. “Harley, we only just adopted them. They’ve had it rough, especially Barbara” he says, though mentally he wouldn’t be adverse to Barbara and Jason eventually calling him dad. “I know...I know. Sorry, sorry. I got caught up”.

“It’s okay. So did I”.

She laces her fingers through her own, bringing her hand up to kiss it. “They had fun tonight. Jason loved dancing with you” he says. “Ohh he was so cute in that little tux of his. Stepped on my feet at least twenty times but I can forgive a cutie like him. And Barbara? Ohh she really came out of her shell. I think she’ll really love these parties after a while”.

“I hope so” he says, gesturing for her to be quiet as he opens the door, just down the hall from Barbara’s, into Jason’s room. The little boy, who had already been dressed in his pajamas beforehand, was fast asleep, his back turned to the door. Bruce smiles and Harley enters, moving onto the bed slowly. “Goodnight sweetie. I hope you had fun” she said, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “We love you”.

He looked so serene and peaceful, different from his usual standoffish guard that he held over Barbara. Bruce ruffles the boy’s hair and adds a “sleep well Jason” before they inch out of the room, Harleen lingering once again. They close the door and stand in the hallway sighing.

“I never knew that falling in love with you would add so many things to my resume” she teases, moving forward to rub her hands along the man’s chest. “Mmm…”. Bruce was always quiet at these moments, afraid to say the wrong thing and mess it up. Harley understood and she didn’t care. His touches, caresses and the way he’d stare deep into her eyes was enough. “So...are we going on patrol tonight?”

“I don’t think so” he says with a smirk. “Harvey asked if he could stay the night and I don’t want to give him a reason to start asking questions”.

“Huh..why...ohhhhh” she says, blushing as she didn’t realize her friend and Harvey were quite at that stage yet. “I..I don’t know if she’s ready for that” she explains. “She’s still so raw, and this relationship of theirs is moving so fast and…”

He silences her with a kiss, his hands on either side of her head to hold her in place. She wanted to melt right into goo at that moment, a massive puddle on the floor. He releases her, but keeps her close. “She’s a big girl Harleen. She can make her own decisions. Trust me”.

“I’m her doctor and…”

“You’re also her best friend which means you’ll be there in two ways if it doesn’t work out” he says. “But, you have to let her try. Harvey is a good man for her. Trust me. I’ve known the guy since….I don’t remember when”.

‘Trust me’ she thinks, smiling up at the man who held her tightly to his arms. ‘I do. So much Bruce’.

“Okay” she sighs. “But you’ll have to bankroll the breakup ice cream if it doesn’t. I have a feeling Pam is definitely the kind to sit on the couch with hagen daz and cry”.

“I will. Promise”.

They begin to head towards their bedroom, each holding onto one another. “I had a good night Bruce” she says. “I did too. You looked amazing. The gossip rags will be talking all about it tomorrow”.

“Bruce, are you okay with that?” she asks a bit nervously. “I mean, I get it. I’m really not part of your world, so I’d understanding wanting to keep things more…”

“What do you mean not part of my world?” 

“Well, you know, I’m not some debutante girl that had a massive party when she was 18 to come out to high society. I’m just...well, Harleen Quinzel. Born and raised in the Narrows. About as low class as you can get without being homeless” she laughs.

Bruce stops and looks at her deeply, causing her to blush and turn away, not liking the way he seemed to be able to get to the very center of her soul. “You are a massive part of my world Harleen. I don’t care where you came from. I love who you are. Your bad puns, the way you care, your passion. I love you and I don’t ever see that changing. Now...let’s go get to bed. I think tomorrow will be a long day” he says.

She was almost shocked. Almost. But...she knew that Bruce was passionate. The thought made her smile. ‘Maybe he knows exactly what to say at the right time’.

**_Falcone Compound_ **

It was quiet. Too quiet, and that was what unnerved him the most. Carmine was used to noise. His guys screwing around or talking, people coming to see him for favors. Noise was what kept his organization going. Noise was what kept Gotham going. It’s what kept him going, and right now? He didn’t have any to move forward with. 

“Falcone”.

The voice whispers down the hall and chills him to the bone. He knew exactly who it was, and what was going on.

“It’s...it’s not my fault” he says. “Tell your boss it isn’t my fault. Batman really fucked with the shipments. Cops know. It’s not my fault!” he shouts, rushing back into his office and slamming the door shut. He knew it wouldn’t do much, in fact, it wouldn’t do anything, but in his mad panic he had no other options. He reaches for the gun under his desk but is stopped as a knife is imbedded right in his arm, pinning it to the desk. 

“Please...please” he begs, screaming out through the pain. “You failed the Court Mr. Falcone” the voice whispers, and he turns to see the dark shadow behind him. “Ohh God...ohh God. Mother Mary, mother of God, pray…” his prayer is stopped as the knife is twisted, breaking blood vessels and tearing into muscle. He falls to his knees, his arm still splayed over the desk while he begins to cry out in pain.

“God can’t hear you. Not right now. You’ll perhaps be able to speak to him soon though. Perhaps. I doubt it”. 

“No...no...you got to understand...I tried…”

“Shhh, shhhh...Carmine” the figure says, getting to her knees as another advances out of the darkness to his desk, looking through it for anything valuable. “We aren’t killing you because you failed. We’re killing you because the new Matriarch has different plans. Plans in which scum like you simply have no place” the woman whispers. 

“No...please”.

He isn’t able to make another plea, as the woman reaches out and slices open his throat, letting the warm red life giving blood spurt out over the man’s immaculate suit. He reaches up, trying to staunch the blood, but it’s to no avail. Slowly, he falls to the floor, dying as easily as he’d sentenced so many others to their death. 

He stares up with eyes that are rapidly losing their light, the life draining out of him until it’s nothing but a puddle of blood on the floor. The woman stands and inspects her claws in the moonlight, wiping the blood from them on the curtains. “You know that guy Mandragora is just going to take over right?” her partner asks, coming up beside her.

“So?”

“Fair enough”.

“I hope the matriarch sees this as a job well done. Her rewards are pretty great” he says jovially, the formality enforced on the Talons having become quite lax with Selina’s ascension to power.

“A break would seem nice. You and I, sitting in a warm tub looking out at the Gotham city skyline? It would be so romantic”.

He smiles under his mask and nods. “Let me get on that then gorgeous”.

**_Wayne Manor, Master Bedroom_ **

“Ohh god BRUCEE!” she says, screaming his name as she orgasms, the man only increasing her hold on his head with her thighs while her hands run haphazardly through his hair. He doesn’t stop though and merely continues to lavish her with attention, suckling on her clitoris while working at separating her soaked womanly petals seemingly all at once.

She quivers, her body riding the high of his attentions down and trying to maintain her sanity which was rapidly fading away. Bruce slowly moves away from her, leaning back on the bed. When she looks up, she can’t help but smile at how pleasured he looked simply at her own enjoyment. Her hair was splayed out behind her, with some of it being plastered to her forehead by her sweat.

“Bruce..I want to know where you learned how to do that, but I also don’t because I’d probably kill the women you did it too” she said jokingly. Bruce falls beside her on the bed, holding her to him as she twists her body. Ever since they got back to their room, and Harley had removed her dress, it was a free for all as neither one of them kept their hands of each other. She’d finished twice already and she really wasn’t sure if she could get another one in without not being able to walk the next day. 

‘Bruce didn’t though’ she thinks, suddenly getting a dirty idea as she turns even more, laying on Bruce’s chest. “Harley…” he begins, moving up to kiss her, but she stops him by placing a single digit against his lips. “Shhhh...let mama show her puddin how much she loves him” she teases, leaning in to kiss his neck. Slowly, she moves to his shoulder and then his chest, all the while he was slowly going mad with how Harley’s breasts looked squashed against him. She was very well endowed in that department.

She was tracing scars with her lips, wanting to sooth away each injury with her loving attention. “Bruce...I wish I could tell you fully how much I love you” she whispers against his skin, moving to the lower end of the bed, now laying on his stomach. He winced a bit, feeling his turgid member now pressed against her own stomach, his tip just a few inches from her brest. She moves even lower, maintaining eye contact with the man.

She smiles teasingly, loving how Bruce seemed completely enraptured by her words and actions. “But you might think I’m crazy if I told you sweetie. Maybe I am. I probably am” she teases, moving even lower and letting Bruce’s penis bob upwards, freed from the pressure of her body laying against it. “Should I ask not so little Bruce what he thinks?” she teases, grasping him in her hand and bringing it close.

Bruce gasps and moans. “Harleen…”

“Shh...quiet Bruce. I’m having an important conversation here” she says with a wink, returning to eye level with the man’s penis. The man decides to be quiet, indeed enjoying just where Harley was going with this. It was exhilarating, to see the intelligent doctor doing this for him. He didn’t know why and chalked it up to some sort of primal male urges. But he knew that at that moment? Harleen was the only other person in the world. “Hmmm...so...ohh? You want a kiss?” she asks, pretending as if his penis was talking to her. With a wide smile she leans in towards his head and presses her lips against it before pushing forward a bit on his foreskin and swirling the tongue about his now exposed head. 

“Harleen…” Bruce moans, leaning his head back, unable to take it. The blonde releases his cock with an audible pop while continuing her “conversation”.

“Ohh wow little Bruce. I get a little carried away huh? What? You’re cold? Hmm...I have an idea” she teases. She begins to shuffle herself up just a bit on the bed, a wide smile on her lips while Bruce was just curious. Her breasts come into view and she brings them onto either side of his member, surprising him entirely. She moves both hands to the side of her breasts and presses them in, encasing Bruce’s prick in her warmth. 

“Hmm...that feel better?” she asks before she begins to move up and down ever so slightly. “Ohh? It would be better with more kisses? Well...who am I to say no to such a charming guy?”. She then leans down and begins to kiss and tease his head as it exits the valley of her cleavage, letting some of her saliva trail down his shaft onto their lower bodies.

Bruce leans up a bit, his hand moving to her hair and threading through her golden blonde locks. She looks up at him lovingly. Her lips now pursed around his tip while his hips begin to hump up into her mouth. He was just barely able to make it, with Harley’s breasts being larger than average. He had never quite had an experience like this before with a woman, and he was rapidly approaching the crescendo that Harley had already fallen over twice. 

“Harley...shit...I’m going to to…”

His warning didn’t have any effect on the woman who increased her tempo, eager to please the man and also to taste him for the first. Time. She didn’t know how, but in all the times that they’d made love, she hadn’t gotten to this. She was kicking herself in the pants now though, as the look of orgasmic pleasure on the man’s face was worth every second.

She increases her pressure, suckling deeply while pressing her breasts down on his thighs. She looks up at him again and winks, signalling the man that she was not only willing to take him, she positively loved taking him.

The wink sent him over the edge, and with a firm grip on Harley’s head that he couldn’t help and she didn’t mind, he thrusts up as best as he can, putting his glans in the womans mouth. “Harleen” he moans, a lot quieter than she had been but still a moan, before shooting his seed into her warm and wet orifice. 

It was a lot. Quite more than the woman was expecting or ready for. Her cheeks expand as she tries to keep in the warm batter and her eyes go wide. One swallow brings it down, but it only came just in time for him to shoot another load into her. She was gulping it down, trying to keep control of the situation but failing as Bruce’s balls emptied. 

A final spirt sends Bruce sprawling back on the bed, now completely spent and panting in exhaustion. Harley releases his slowly softening member, though she remains connected to it by the trails of saliva and semen. She moaned and felt some drip from her lips and onto her teat. “Bruce...damn puddin’” she says, trying to catch her breath. 

“Sorry...sorry” he says, not able to formulate words at that moment. His eyes were locked on her though, enjoying as she rested on her knees atop the bed. With a smile she takes a digit down and wipes a trail of his white baby making juice off of her skin. She makes a show of bringing it to her mouth and suckling it off of her finger. If his orgasm hadn’t been so powerful, Bruce would be more than ready to go again at that instant. 

“Hmm….my Bruce tastes delicious” she says, repeating the action a few times until the semen was off of her chest. Bruce moves up and grasps her by the waist, making the woman giggle at his forcefulness. She is laid down on the bed next to him, and the covers pulled up over their naked bodies, the two now fully sated in each other’s pleasure. 

“Harleen...I love you”.

“I love you too puddin. I really do”.

“I understand what you meant now” he teases, nuzzling her cheek while his arm goes about her shoulders. “About what?” she asks, pushing her body as close to his as she can get. “Not wanting to know where you learned that”.

She bites her lip and moves to look at him in the eyes, a blush rapidly covering her face. “Actually, that was my first time doing it” she teases. Bruce looks at her and quirks an eyebrow. “Honest to goodness! I saw it in a...well….a dirty movie” she explains. 

Bruce pretended to be scandalized and put his hand to his heart. “Doctor Quinzel…” he faux reproaches. “I am shocked!”

She swats his chest lightly, letting out a huff of annoyance before returning to her position on his chest. She reaches for his hand, and Bruce is all too eager to reciprocate as he threads his fingers through hers, the both resting atop his chest.

“I love you”.

“I love you too Bruce”.

“I never expected you to come into my world” he continues, looking down at her. “I kind of just wanted my mission. Nothing else. Ever since that day I never saw myself doing the normal things. Following routine”.

“Bruce...nothing about our life is routine” she jokes, though she allows him to continue. “I know. You threw a wrench into everything”. He brings her hand up to look at it, tracing her milky skin with his thumb. “I never saw myself as falling in love. Over my life I’ve been close to three women including you” he explains. She fights her womanly hackles down, not wanting to appear jealous. ‘Come on Harleen, he’s not your first either’ she reminds herself. 

“I never thought there would be a possible future Mrs. Wayne in the picture” he says, turning her entire body into one big nerve at the words. She rapidly turns her head to look at him, though Bruce was looking up at the ceiling instead, a light smile twisting the corner of his lips.

“But, now there is. I don’t know if that’s saying too much, especially with everything going on. I’d come back to Gotham wanting to embark on something that would matter. Something that would make things right but...I was being naive”.

“Ohh Bruce, the last thing you are is naive” she says, still fixating on those worlds. Her inner Harley was jumping for joy, ecstatic at the thought of swapping out her last name. ‘I hate the bastard who gave it to me anyway’ she thinks about her father. The negative thought is gone just as quick however, and she fixates on the positive. ‘Mrs. Harleen Wayne’.

“Thanks. I’m not saying I want to stop being...well...that, but what I am saying is, that maybe, just maybe, there’s a way to make a difference in another way”.

“Barbara and Jason?” she asks.

He nods. “And you”. He turns and takes her chin in his fingers, leaning in to kiss her. “Tell me if I’m bothering you or scaring you away by being so mushy”.

“Pfft...Bruce...open up to me as much as you want. I’m your personal doctor from now on. As for being Mrs. Bruce Wayne?” she teases, nuzzling his nose. “A lot of women in the city are going to be very upset with me, especially if I take that position from them”.

“They’ll have to get over it” he retorts.

“Sure you want to be married to a wise cracking lady doctor?” 

“I think it would be a bit of cosmic irony for me to marry you” he teases. “My mom was a philanthropist and my dad was a surgeon. So, since I’m a philanthropist, I guess I have to marry a doctor. It makes sense”.

“So you’d want to marry me because of some cosmic bit of the funnies huh?” she says, poking him in the chest.

“Maybe. Or maybe I’m just madly falling in love with a woman and I have no idea what to expect from the future”.

“I can tell you one thing to expect” she says. “Expect me to be right there puddin, by your side. And when you ask me if I’d like to be Mrs. Wayne? I’d say yes”. She cuts him off by placing her hand over his mouth, preempting him from speaking. “That isn’t a yes right now mister, as much as I want to be your fiancee. I have standards”.

She slowly lets his mouth free and he nods. “State them”.

“A special night. Doesn’t have to be expensive. I’d be fine with a nice blanket on the beach, a bottle of wine and cheese...ohh god yes cheese! Lots of cheese” she says excitedly. “You’re not part mouse are you?”

“Squeak, squeak” Harley teases back, scrunching up her nose. Bruce laughs, unable to contain it as it was just too cute and childish not to. “Alright, alright. I’ll remember that Harleen. Any specific kind of cheese?”

“Swiss”.

“Hmm...learn something new about you every day” he retorts. 

  
A moment of silence passes between the two, their bodies settling into sleep. “Don’t be nervous when you ask me though” she says.

“Why is that?”

She lets out a sigh of breath and smiles. “Because, I’m going to say yes to being Mrs. Wayne no matter when or how you ask me. I love you too much Bruce. I...I can’t see my life without you”.

He was shocked by her candor, but his heart was beating rapidly. So rapidly she felt it might come out of his chest. “I...damn. I want to say the right thing. I need you Harleen. I need you in my life. You’re the doctor, tell me. Is this an unhealthy dependence we have on one another? Is…”

“No. It’s an ancient thing called love that we all need Bruce. We just...I guess we just have those personalities. All or nothing. Full throttle ahead. But men need women, and women need men. I’m a woman, and you’re a man. The math is there. Finish the equation”. 

Bruce nods, calming himself and his inner fears. She was right. It was natural. They were two people who were driven beyond their abilities at the moment. But they’d accomplish great things, and they’d do even more together.

Slowly they begin to fall asleep, Harley already drooling a bit on his chest. He didn’t mind. Not at all.

**_Just Down the Hall_ **

She was crying as she dragged her teddy bear behind her, it’s legs brushing the floor. It had started to rain, and the thunder had woken her up. When it did, the nightlight was all she had. “Harleen? Bruce...Jason?” she’d called out frightened from her bed. 

When no answer was forthcoming, she slowly crept from the covers, trying to jump out over the stretch between her bed and the wooden floor, fearful of the monsters that undoubtedly hid under her bed. 

She rushed through the door into the hall, which wasn’t any less creepy to the young girl. She’d begun to cry, holding Mr. Huffy close to her. “Jason?”

She moves almost on automation through the hall before getting to his door. She reaches out and knocks lightly first before opening it. She peaks her head in and is startled once again by the dark. “Jason?” she calls out, just as a thunder clap sounds right over Wayne Manor. She shouts in fear but is able to see his body on the bed. She rushes across the room, jumping over him and into the bed, waking the young boy as he’s bounced up.

“Wha...what? Barbara?” he asks, concern instantly waking him up as he sees her tear streaked face. She shuffles herself under the blankets and forces her back into his chest, ensconcing herself in safety while she begins to hyperventilate. “H...h...hold...hold me” she insists while Jason is worried. “Okay, okay. You’re fine Barbara. You’re safe”. 

He reaches out and pulls her tight to him, his arms closing around her body as she turns her head and nuzzles into the pillow and the back of it into his neck. “It’s okay, breath, just thunder. Nothing to worry about. You’re safe”.

He remembers something he saw in a movie through a tv display and reaches up, rubbing her scalp while gently brushing her hair with his fingers. “Th...tha...thank you” she stutters out afraid as another thunder clap echoes out. She “eeps” again and cuddles even closer, but Jason refuses to stop, just keeping up the gentle caresses. “Hey, it’s alright. We’re safe. Batman and Batwoman are here” he says. “They’re going to keep us safe”.

“Bruce and Harleen” Barbara corrects.    
  


“Huh?”

“Bruce and Harleen are the Batman and Batwoman. Bruce and Harleen will keep us safe” she says, calming slightly. “Alright, I guess that makes sense” he says, glad that she was calming down. “Are you okay?” 

“Uhhmm” she mutters out, finally calm, though her chest quivers with little stunted breaths. “Okay. do you want to go back in your room?”

She shakes her head to the negative. He figured as much.

“Do you want Harleen and Bruce?”

Again she shakes her head no. “Do you want Alfred? Or maybe Aunt Pamela or Harvey?” he asks, remembering that the DA had spent the night as well. Barbara shakes her head again, though she punctuates her response with a question.

“Can I stay here with you?” she asks. “Barbara...I don’t know if Bruce would like that” he says, careful around the man as he was afraid to mess up their safe haven and get kicked out. “Please? For tonight can me and Mr. Huffy stay here?”

He knew he’d give in. He always did so he just nods and cuddles himself into the young girl, letting the rain and thunder slowly begin to lull her to sleep. She began to snore, and that was a fact he hadn’t been aware of before. ‘Hmm...maybe when she’s comfy she does that’ he thinks, remarking that in all their time on the rough he had never heard the redhead snore. It was relaxing though, and soon he was falling asleep himself. 

She reached out for his hand, which was on her stomach, and holds it, desiring to be close to him even while they’re asleep. She was safe. For the first time since her family broke apart, she felt safe too.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to thank one of my reviewers, don't know if they want to be named but they know who they are, mvp dude, who pointed out an issue they felt. I tried to fix it in this chapter. Best to you guys.

**_The Court_ **

She was moving quickly, or as quickly as her feet could carry her. She was old, and she was limited by the aching of her old bones. She had to act, and she had to act quickly. ‘Damn you Selina! What are you doing?’

Since she’d first heard the news that morning she’d been a flurry of motion. She jumped up from her kitchen table, abandoning her morning coffee and all hopes she had of being able to enjoy her breakfast in peace. She still had her sources in the Court, and even if she had stepped back and handed off duties to her daughter, she was well aware of what was going on. 

She hadn’t ever thought that Selina would do what she did. She turns the corner of the hallway, having come to know every single crevice and brick contained within their hideaway under the city. She was on a mission, and her rage called out to her and urged her on. ‘How dare she make such a decision without asking me!’

“SELINA!” she calls out, hearing her voice bounce up and down the walls. It carried a long way, and even with the mask she knew her voice would be heard in the sealed doors of the Atrium. The whole maze was designed with their moniker and the legend attached to them in mind. Nothing happened down here that they were not aware of.

She doesn’t receive an answer however, not that she expected one. 

The doors come into view, and strangely enough they are already open, revealing the lit up meeting place of the Court’s most important members. She knew something was wrong from the moment her eyes laid on it, and her feelings were confirmed as soon as she entered. 

On the floor of the room, were two of the Elite. She recognized them instantly as Robert Vreeland and his wife Helen. Their throats were cut, the blood spilling out onto the carpet. “Ohh god” the former Matriarch says aloud, her hand coming up to the position of her mouth under the mask. 

“Good morning mother” a voice just to her left says, and Selina enters her line of view. She was dressed in a simple pair of slacks and a blouse, much more in line with business attire than the more regal appearance the Court liked to give off when they assembled. “Selina…”.

The dark haired woman gives no response save a smile on her lips, stepping over the corpse of the large older man on her way to the woman who had called herself her mother. She reaches out and places both hands on her shoulder, leaning in and pecking both of the woman’s masked cheeks. “Ohh mother, you should know that isn’t my name anymore” she teases as if chiding a pet for forgetting something they’d been taught many times before.

She releases her with a shove, sending the woman back a foot and almost to the floor. She just manages to regain her footing, staying aloft. The doors shut behind her, the large oak squeaking on the hinges before clanging down the ancient halls.

The older woman can’t help but lower her gaze back to the bodies of two of her oldest friends. “What have you done?”

“Ohh much Mother. So, so much. I’ve learned a lot though. Mostly about the cost of giving away power” she says, advancing back on the chair that dominated the center of the room, a throne so to speak. She sits, languidly wiping her pants before snapping her fingers. As soon as the sound is heard, shadowy figures advance out of the darkness. 

The Talons now rimmed the room. 

In their appearance the woman saw her chance. She begins to speak, trying to keep her voice an even tone. “I know what this is” she says, pointing at Selina. “She assumed power, and thought she could get away with destroying everything we built as a society, as a family”.

Her words echo out over the hall, but the Talon’s remain silent, all standing in their myriad positions above and around them. “I don’t know what she’s promised you, but I can give you something better. The Court always finds a way to reward those who serve it. Any wrong that has been committed by us over the years can be redressed. All I ask is that you supplicate yourself before me, ask for my pardon and then…” she stops, glaring stormily at the younger woman who seemed to be completely unmoved by the possibility of danger the woman’s words put her in.

“Cut this insolent little whore’s throat”.

She pauses for dramatic effect before looking up at some of the Talons standing on the second floor. “In fact, the one to do it? They will receive a place amongst us, serving as an Elite”.

The room is still dead silent, and not a muscle is moved. Selina herself reaches out towards the table that sat next to her throne, retrieving a glass of wine and taking a long sip. She replaces it back on the table and smiles, spreading out her arms. “You heard her” she says. “Which one of you would cut my throat to get to the top? She’s going to give you what you’ve always dreamed of right? I mean, who’d give up a shot at sitting around in here, gossipping, singing, dancing and drinking while others go out and bleed for you?”

She becomes suddenly vindictive, standing up and grasping the empty wine glass in her hand before throwing it at the woman’s feet, shattering the glass and causing her to jump in fear. Selina is instantly on her though, grasping her chin roughly in her hands. The woman struggles, but is ultimately unable to break her grasp.    
  


She vainly hits at the woman with her hands, none of her blows landing. Selina is unmoved, though she was quite angry. “Do you know why none of them will kill me? Why none of them, not a single fucking one, moved on what you offered?”

The woman in her grasp remains silent, not saying anything in response to Selina’s rage. “I’ll tell you” she says, not caring if her rhetorical question was answered or not. “Because they’re already the Elite”.

The woman’s eyes widen under her mask, something that is obscured by the mask she wore. Selina could tell though. She was an expert at reading people. She’d been trained to be. With a smile she turns her head and casts her gaze about the room. “Each one of you? A duke. A lady. A knight. Royalty” she shouts, each bowing their head in a show of subservience that had just been denied their previous mistress.

“Long live the Matriarch” they shout out in unison, their voices booming out. “Long live the Court”.

“You are nothing to them” Selina hisses, getting in close to the woman’s mask and spitting. She drops her, though this time the woman falls back onto the ground, painfully onto her back. She winces out in pain and Selina just moves towards the center of the room. “You see mother, you didn’t give them anything” she explains.

“We...we gave all of you...everything” she whimpers, trying to get to her feet and only succeeding in sitting up.

“No” Selina cuts her off with a harsh downward cut of her hand through the air. “No. You gave us trinkets. A toy here or a treat there, but everything else? Everything else you took from us. Our blood built everything YOU have. Our struggle, our toil, and now? Now we want it. We built it, we want it”.

“Isn’t it fair?” she asks the assembled Talons who all murmur their agreement. “I mean, why should they get to be the Elite? We’re the ones who’ve done everything. And for what? A pat on the head? Hell, we never got any recognition for all that we did. Our mothers and fathers? They were taken from us by life, and they pretended to be their replacements. When is the last time you had a hug?”

The question hangs in the air, and it was clear to all assembled that the woman didn’t mean from their significant other. “When’s the last time you had a birthday party? Or got a present that wasn’t just a “reward” for something you did well? Hell, when was the last time any of them stayed with us during the night?”

Nobody had an answer, and the lack of an answer was the only one Selina was interested in. “That’s right. Never” she teases. “They” she punctuates by pointing at the fallen Matriarch. “Went home to their mansions. To their “real” children. They loved them didn’t they? What did we get? We got the knock off pretend love”. She had started to cry. She couldn’t help herself as the waves of the past hit upon her. All those cold lonely nights spent crying alone. They were too much.

She reaches up to wipe her tears, but nobody had the stomach to condemn her for it. Half of them were crying as well. They turned into their mates who held them close, rubbing their backs or just trying to put some of their affection on the other so that the pain might recede.

Selina smiles, biting her lip and closing her eyes as she sees the touching scene. “Look at us” she says, light tinkling laughter that was stained by the tears in her voice joining her words. “A merry band of orphans. I love all of you. I don’t know if you know that”.

“We love you too Matriarch” a voice calls out, drawing out a chorus of agreement and attempts at comfort that she knows are genuine. “Thank you. Thank you. That sustains me” she says, trying to remain regal. The smile drops from her face though, and a hateful glare takes its place. “I envy you though. I’m jealous. You see, they gave you all something that my whore of a “mother” she says, stopping to spit the word vindictively, “Didn’t. She gave each and every one of you a mate. Someone to hold you through the night. You all got to fall in love with a person. I DIDN’T!” she shouts, pointing at her chest. “I fell in love through pictures. I spent every night looking at my beloved’s face and pretending, praying that when I woke up he’d be there. But...he never was”.

She turns, moving back towards the woman before grabbing her by her graying hair, pulling her up so that the assembled crowd could get a better view of her. She screams out in pain, but Selina could care less at that moment. “I want to know why. I deserve that. No...fuck that. I demand it”.

She reaches forward, scratching the woman’s cheek as she grips around the edge of her white owl mask. “No...no!” she screams out though it comes to late. Selina rips it away, exposing the former Matriarch’s face to to the people she’d ruled over for so long. “Why don’t you tell me...Leslie?”

The woman’s eyed widen fearfully, the doctor having been exposed. It was a cardinal rule that the Elite would never be exposed to the Talons. It was a rule that had never been broken...until now. She reaches for the mask that Selina still clutched in her hand, and with a cruel smile the dark haired woman breaks it, shattering the porcelain in her hand. 

Shards of it cut into her skin, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She was too intent on revenge to care. “Selina...no”.

“I was supposed to have a mate. She took me in, gave me clothes, food and a bed. She promised me a best friend too. I waited, day in and day out for him to get there. She kept urging me on. ‘Excel in this’ she’d say, or ‘do this perfectly’ and she’d bring him here. My king, your Patriarch, is Bruce Wayne”.

The exclamation of the man’s name sent a shiver of excitement through the group. Gotham’s most famous son? Bruce Wayne was too lead them? It was enough to get any of them excited for the drama playing out before them.

“And this woman? She was his doctor. She was close to him every. Single. Day” she says, bringing her hand down on the woman’s face in an open palmed slap. She recoils in fear though Selina’s tight grip on her hair keeps her in place. She delivers a flurry of follow up strikes which succeed in breaking the woman’s nose. 

  
Selina was a lot stronger than she looked. 

“P..p..please…” she wheezes out, asking for mercy that she’d never granted anyone else. 

“Why didn’t you bring him to me?” she asks softly, seeming as if the woman’s state had weakened her resolve. “Tell me. Why didn’t you bring him to me? With all the Court’s resources and all of their abilities, why? You could’ve made me happy? My life wouldn’t have been so miserable if I wasn’t alone”.

She was the little girl again, reaching out and hoping for a kindly touch or a mother’s love. Anything. It had the opposite effect on Doctor Tompkins today than it did then. She smiles, a toothy grin that held nothing but malice and hate. “You were always worthless Selina” she begins, the softness slowly fading from the Matriarch’s green eyes. “You...you...looked so pathetic. Dirty and starving in that alley. I knew...knew that I’d get you to do anything. And you did! Ohh such a good little puppet” she teases, looking out once again, this time to mock instead of plea.

“Your leader? She’s just a scared little girl” she calls out with choked laughter as her broken nose made her voice come out in a much more stunted way. “All she wants is a man. Whore” she spits suddenly. “You can have power...I gave you power...all the power in Gotham. And what did you do? You went to go get your man...pathetic”.

Selina was reigning in her emotions, but the dam holding them back was slowly cracking. “I’ll only ask you...one….more...time” she enunciates. An answer was forthcoming from the woman though, and it wasn’t one that she wanted to hear. 

“I could’ve” she explains. “At any time. Like you said. But Bruce? Ohh Bruce was so much more important than you’d ever understand. He couldn’t be wasted on you” she coughs out. “Look...look what he’s become without the Court? Strong, driven. He was just the carrot for you to get certain things done. You see...you were the odd hatchling out”.

She smiles, licking her lips as she looks up at the ceiling. “We were never going to get you someone Selina. You were always meant to be alone. Perhaps, part of me thought you’d be the next inteneration of Talons. One who didn’t need attachments. Would only kill. Apparently….I was wrong. You weren’t meant for greatness after all” she accuses, her eyes piercing into the woman’s soul.

“Still, just a….unwanted little girl. I should’ve left you in the gutter where I found you”.

Selina couldn’t take it, and she swung her fist out, catching the woman right in the jaw and rattling a few teeth loose. She lets go of her hold on her hair at the same time, allowing the old woman to tumble to the floor in pain.

She turns her back and walks away, beginning to pace as her rage was quickly consuming her. She clenches and unclenches her fist, not caring for the startled cries for breath from behind her. “What were your plans for Bruce?” she asks, looking over her shoulder. “And why did you make me Matriarch?”

The woman was rubbing her jaw, trying to keep the pain from rendering her unconscious. “He...he would have led us...a true Patriarch. But...heheh...never wedded to you. I had a much more suitable bride for him...I woul…”

“You would’ve wed Bruce to Veronica Vreeland” she says aloud, shocking the woman who hadn’t even thought that Selina would have already known. “You would have wed the two richest families in Gotham. You shouldn’t have left your diary down here Leslie. I like to snoop. I know that curiosity killed the cat but...hmmm..I can’t help myself” she teases, turning back and advancing on the woman’s prone body. She kicks her in the side, sending her body sprawling back to the floor as a rib or two cracked or broke. 

She wheezed in pain. Selina was beginning to enjoy this. 

“Robert told me everything before he died” she explains, gesturing towards the corpse to her right. “He told me how his daughter was trained in seduction, against her will I might add, all for the purpose of ensnaring Bruce. But...he threw a wrench into your plans didn’t he?” 

She smiles, admiring Bruce even more for how he’d been able to carve his own path. “He disappeared. Right out from under your nose and you had no idea. Huh. Seems like I’m not the only one who broke free of you”.

“Bruce Wayne? He’s the key to this. To taking back our city. Soon? You’ll be kissing his feet with all that he’ll give us” she says, trying to further sell her plan. “But first? You have to do something for him...and me” she adds with a coy smile.

“These two?” she asks, pointing at the dead bodies on the ground. “They need to be replaced, and we have the perfect candidate. Bring her out!”.

The doors slam open again, and in comes Veronica Vreeland being escorted by two Talons who hold her under her arms. She was crying and her dress was in tatters. “Please...please no, I’m not like them! I’m not! I promise”. Her cries are cut off as Selina grabs her chin, forcing her to look at her.

“Veronica no…” Tompkins wheezes out, not wanting any harm to come to any of the purebloods of Gotham. She casts a look over at her parents, and adds a mental ‘not any more blood’. 

“Look at me child” Selina hisses, though Veronica’s eyes were locked solely on her dead parents. Selina sees what she wants, admiring the flicker of joy and the slight ghost of a smile that crosses her lips. Eventually, her eyes settle on the Matriarch, who reaches up and caresses her hair. “Ohh you poor sweetie...you were used just as much as us weren’t you?”

The girl remains silent, but she can see it in her eyes. “You see?” Selina calls out. “Their own hatchlings. Of their own blood? They’re just tools to them too. These degenerates”. She gestures for the Talons to let the girl go, which they do instantly, allowing Selina to catch her as she falls into her arms. She helps her to her feet, steadying her.

“That’s why Gotham needs a better ruling class. And we’re going to give it to them” she shouts out, receiving approval in the form of the Talons removing their masks, the symbolic sign of their enslavement to their masters. 

“Veronica...run...run and get help” Leslie whispers, trying to reach the young girl who looks at her with an unsure look. “Ohh yes. Go ahead sweetie. Run. Go get help. For who though? Them? Your father who pimped you out? The mother who let it happen? Or us? Your real family” she turns to her and smiles brightly. “We need you sweetie. We want you to pick up where your parents left off, but better. We want you to look out for the people of Gotham. Build up their lives. Make decisions for them”.

Veronica looked up at the woman, shock in her eyes. She nods and urges her onto her feet. “We don’t rule for ourselves. We rule for them. Sure, we have the power. We have all of it. And we get to bask in its rewards. But look at what happens when we abandon struggle? We become weak…”

It was obvious that she was speaking of Leslie Tompkins, who was locking on in shock as Veronica Vreeland turns to the new Talons. She nods and Selina embraces her, hugging her close. “I know you’ve been through a lot. So have I. But we need to keep our strength..just a little longer. You see, I have a plan. It’s going to take some work. It’ll be slow going but soon? We’ll have replaced every Elite in Gotham with one of my Talons”.

A struggled gasp for breath cuts her off, and she turns to see Leslie surprisingly on her feet. “It...it won’t work...someone….will...not…”.

“Who?”

Selina stays where she was but smirks. “Who will notice? First, we’ll replace the gossip rags and newspapers. Announce that the companies are being taken over one at a time. I think the only people who would notice are in this room right now. The rest out there? The peasants? They don’t care about you as much as you think they do. We’ll just be a different set of overlords. Better ones. But….I think I’m about done with you” Selina sighs, pulling a knife from its sheathe which had been hidden in her waist band. “Veronica” she says, handing the knife over to the debutante. 

“Prove your loyalty sweetie. Be the Vreeland this city needs”. She pushes the knife into the girl’s hands and closes her fingers around the hilt. She pats the skin and smiles, kissing the girl’s forehead. “She put you through all of this, just like she did to every one of us. Don’t you think if anyone should be able to end her...it should be you?”

“W...why?” the girl asks confusedly. 

  
Selina shrugs and looks back at the now frightened old woman. “Because, I need knights as well as ladies. And I think you have what it takes to be my personal guard” she says, running her fingers through her hair. “I will train you. Help you grow your little fief. In return? You stand beside me as Matriarch, and one day, my daughter as well”.

“Pfftt...daughter? Little Barbara Gordon?” Leslie spits, trying to make for the door until she realizes that two Talon’s blocked her path. “A little premature don’t you think? Bruce isn’t yours. He’s Harleen Quinzel’s. She wants to lead Gotham, and she can’t even keep her…”.

Before she can say anymore, the unexpected happens, and Veronica leaps forward, plunging her knife into the woman’s shoulder. She screams out in pain and horror, not able to take it as she falls to the ground yet again, the weight of Veronica’s body carrying her down. “YOU WHORE!!!” Veronica screeches, all the pent up rage of her childhood, spent only as a tool, boiled up within her. She brings the knife up and down, plunging it into the woman’s flesh and stealing the life away from her in every thrust.

Selina feels pity, but only for Veronica. Through all the hardship and pain she’d experienced, the neglect and abuse...she knew it wasn’t as bad for the woman in front of her who was now stabbing the dead woman with a frenzy she never expected. “That’s enough” she calls out, seeing that Leslie was dead. 

Veronica continues, stabbing into the dead body. “I said that’s enough!” Selina shouts, rushing forward and grabbing the girl’s wrist as it rises in the air. Veronica turns and looks positively feral, though Selina is able to cut it off by pulling her into her own body, not caring that she was becoming blood stained. “Shh..shhhh...it’s okay sister. Shhhh...I’m here”.

Veronica slowly drops the knife, and it clatters to the floor loudly. Her sobs break the air and Selina only hugs her closer. She was truly sorry for the girl. ‘We need her’ she reminds herself, trying to keep this about her mission. She couldn’t. She couldn’t be like Leslie. No. Her crusade was very similar to Bruce’s now. Making Gotham better...for all inside of it. To do that? A ruler with an iron fist had to ensure it.

Veronica quietly stops sobbing, but it was clear that the power was out of her. The death of the charade, her “parents” and now her killing of the woman who’d made her life hell had taken it all out of her. She is limp in Selina’s arms, and as she rises she turns to address the remaining Talons. 

“Our plans are in motion. You all know what to do. Timing is everything. I trust you. I love and trust my family” she reiterates. 

They all bow in respectful silence, disappearing back into the darkness as Selina moves out of the atrium. She would bathe Veronica and then let her rest. Her role in this was becoming very important. Soon...she’d have Bruce though, and that thought? Well, that thought most intrigued her. 

‘Ohh Bruce. I’ll have to arrange a funeral for dear old doctor Tompkins’ she thinks, shaking her head faux sadly. ‘Well, I’ll be your shoulder to cry on. Don’t worry. As for the blonde whore...well….we shall just have to see about her now wont we?’

She wanted to laugh, but right now, she was just tired. She needed rest as much as Veronica did. Later, she’d call Bruce and ask him to meet her at Stagg Industries. By then the plan would be well in motion.

He’d join her. He’d have no choice.

‘I’ll tell him to bring Barbara and Jason along too’ she reminds herself, humming happily. ‘I can get them a little toy or two. Just an initial sign of my affection’.

**_Wayne Manor Kitchen_ **

“Ms. Quinzel, I simply must insist!”

“Ohh fine Alfred” the blonde huffs, reaching around her to undo the straps of the apron before handing it off to the man. “You can do the dishes. But how was breakfast?” she teases, cocking out her hip and placing her hand on it.

“It was delicious Ms. Quinzel. Truly but, in the future? Allow me to handle it. It is truly my job. You are a guest here at Wayne manor” the old butler protests. Harley couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Please Alfred. I’ve moved in and I’m most likely here for a while. Get used to me cooking” she says.

“I simply will not allow it”.

“Uhhuhh” she teases back, exasperating the man. She smirks and decides to offer a truce. “Alright, alright. I’ll cook breakfast every Sunday and dinner every Tuesday...and….I’ll help you with dinner every other night!” she offers.

The man looks at her askance, mulling over her offer. “You shall take Wednesday and Friday off entirely. No helping whatsoever with the meal preparation” he says. Harley pouts but she knows she wont get her way with that method. ‘The guy’s made of stone’.

“Hmm...alright. But I do the dishes those nights!” she fires back. With a long suffering sigh the man nods his head and smiles. “You drive a hard bargain Ms. Quinzel. Truly a hard bargain”. She smiles and reaches out her hand for the man to shake, wanting them to have a gentlemen...or rather, gentleman and lady’s agreement. “Put her there Jeeves”.

He shakes her hand and fights to suppress the smirk he wanted to let lose on his face. She becomes serious and sighs, looking into the dining room area where Jason, Barbara and Pam and Harvey were. She couldn’t help but smile, loving how Barbara chomped into the bacon with gusto. It had been a simple gesture, but one she thoroughly enjoyed the aftermath of.    
  


“Is it strange that I love them so much? I mean, it’s all so sudden, and they’re not mine in any way legally but….they are mine” she asks the old man who simply turns and enjoys the same sight that she was. “Not at all” he says back. “I had known the Wayne’s for many years, and been under their employment for at least a third of that time, when Master Bruce was born. From the very first moment I heard Master Bruce’s cries throughout this house….” he says before stopping, getting a little choked up. 

Harley reaches out and rubs his shoulder before moving onto her tip toes to kiss his cheek, causing the old man to blush brightly. “You’re a softie all. We all love you too” she says before moving back into the kitchen, allowing the man some alone time with the dishes. 

He just shakes his head and smiles, returning to the sink as he pushes up his sleeves. ‘I do believe he made the right choice’ he thinks to himself, pulling out a plate and beginning to wash it. 

“Alright kiddos, how’d you like breakfast?” she teases, moving back into the room and sitting down. Jason was still eating some scrambled eggs, and turns with a smile to answer “Ishhh very ood”.

“Jasoonn!” Barbara says with a giggle. “Swallow first. No talking with your mouth full”.

He swallows and smiles, indeed always listening to Barbara when it came to matters of courtesy or etiquette. “It was delicious Harleen. Thank you” Harvey interjects, having been dressed in the same suit he had worn for the party the night before. Harleen smirks at him, picking up her coffee cup while appraising the two. Pamela was openly smiling at the man, her hand entwined with his atop the table, while he was returning those same looks.

She knew those looks. She knew how to read her green friend. 

“Harvey and Pam sitting in the tree...k i s s i n g” she teases, whispering into her mug. “What was that Harleen?” Pamela teases picking up a piece of toast and chucking it at the woman. Harley manages stop it before it hits the ground, picking it up to dunk in her coffee. “Huh? Ohh..nothing” she says seeing her friend’s embarrassed glare.

“Just planning out your wedding to Mr. Mayor here. Tell me, should the wedding invites be egg shell white, or crea…”

“Harley” Pamela says embarrassedly while Harvey just smiles and blushes, looking down at his watch and suddenly frowning. “Damm...I mean...darn” he says, correcting himself as he remembers that the kids are right there. Harley gives him a nod and a glare, warning him away from any foul language. ‘Not in front of my babies’.

“What’s wrong Harvey?” Pam asks.

“Ahh nothing. Just a meeting with a union boss. He wants me to talk about my policy towards redoing Gotham’s streets...again” he says with a long suffering sigh. “Do you want me to come with you?” she asks, reaching up to place a palm on his cheek. He places his own hand over it and rubs her fingers. “Well, it does go easier when I have a beauty like you around but...I think you’ve been working hard enough. Enjoy a break today and let me handle the politicking” he says, leaning down to peck her lips. 

  
When they separate she just smiles, staying close. It takes what looks like a Herculean amount of effort on their behalf to separate from each other, but when they do, Harvey begins to walk towards the door. He stops in his tracks and turns back to the table, ruffling Barbara and Jason’s hair. “Forgot to say goodbye to you two. You have a good day alright?” he says, receiving affirmative answers from both of them. “And Harley? Tell Bruce I said thank you...wherever he is. That guy really knows how to avoid people”.

“Yeah, where is Bruce Harley?” Pamela asks, picking up her cup of tea and getting some teasing back in. “Usually you’re glued to his hip. Wedding bells in your future?” she teases.

Harley blushes, remembering their conversation from the night before. It had happened in their post lovemaking, and both were riding their emotional highs so maybe their words had come out a little too strong. It was moving a bit fast but...she had to admit, in the future? She wouldn’t mind at all having wedding bells. ‘Okay Harleen...calm it down. Look, you both got carried away. Just talk to him about it...while also making sure that he knows you’re perfectly okay with everything he said...God...why is this such a fine line?’

She brings herself back to reality and shakes her head. ‘Alright, just tell him we can have that conversation again in….a year...no….five months...yeah...that sounds fair right? You’re the doctor. You’re freaking Harleen Quinzel! You know what you want, and how to get it and when to get it! Just be honest with him’.

Her mental pep talk goes unnoticed by anyone else at the table, though she realizes that she has to come up with something quick. “Hmm… I really don’t know right now” she says, though she had an inkling of where he might be. She notices that Barbara smiles, her eyes going this way and that. Harleen smirks and reaches over to tap her. ‘You little stinker, don’t say anything’.

“Everything alright?” Pamela asks, Harvey giving one final goodbye before exiting. “Ohh yeah, yeah. Everything is fine but Barbara and Jason wanted to go outside for a little while, might be good for them. I’m going to help clean up. Would you mind taking them for a little bit?” she asks the green woman who looks a little confused. One glance at Barbara is enough of a signal and she jumps up, grabbing Pamela’s hand. “Pllllleasse Auntie Pam? We can play badminton! I love badminton. It’s so much fun though I don’t know why they call it that. Why is it called a birdie? And…”.

‘Ahh, the good ole Barbara Blitz’ Harleen says, watching as Jason follows behind the duo. Pamela didn’t even have a chance to respond, instead being carried along by the shear excitement of the little girl. 

“Good kids” Harleen says aloud, standing to collect Bruce’s already made plate of eggs, bacon and toast before making her way into the living room. She moves over to the clock, looking both ways to ensure nobody was watching before opening the secret entrance, slipping in, and closing it behind her. 

She absolutely loved this part of her day.

“Bruce?” she calls out, her voice echoing down into the cave. Bats, disturbed by her shout, fly off in all different directions, seeking out the inner darkness of the cave. “Harleen?” he calls, still seated at the computer. She could only smirk and move down the stairs carrying his food. “Figures” she says aloud. “Would’ve been nice if you came up for breakfast” she teases, being level with the main floor now. She casts a look over at the costume display cases and smiles at seeing her Batwoman suit right next to his. ‘Another thing I love. Being her’.

“Sorry...something important came up. Something you should see” the man says, typing away on the computer. ‘Speaking of…’. Harley moves over and sets the plate before him, looking at the screen while resting her head on the chair. Her eyes widen as she sees the news headline. “Someone killed Falcone?” she asks.

“Last night” he replies.

“Do you think it’s gang related?”

“I originally thought it was a possibility” he explains before zooming in on the picture he’d managed to snag off of the GCPD servers. “Definitely not a mob hit” she says, looking at the clean cut right across his neck. “Steven Mandragora would be the only one left who’d take on Falcone” he explains. “He killed Franco Bertenelli a few months back. He wanted to take over the docks. He did. It coincided with the end of the child shipments from the court of owls” he says. 

He leans back, lacing his fingers together as he thinks. “Why would the court want to kill Falcone?” she asks. “Wasn’t he working for them?”. She moves over to the computer and leans against the desk, crossing her arms under her chest as she looks at the man. “He was. I don’t know but we have to find out. Whatever is going on, it’s big. I can just feel it” he says.

Harleen nods, agreeing with him completely but not sure of how to actually go on. But...she did have an important topic to discuss with him. ‘Better get on with it’ she thinks, reaching out to rub his arm. “Bruce...can we talk?” she asks. 

He looks up, nervousness playing about his eyes at hearing those words from the woman. She realizes her mistake and blushes. “Ohh no, no, nothing like that, you’re still my puddin’ and I’m still your Harley it’s just...last night…” she says, sighing out, trying to collect herself. “I think we both got a little overwhelmed by the moment, and maybe, maybe we said some things that might be premature? I just...well...I wanna make sure I’m not scaring you away or nothing. We are relatively still new, doesn’t mean I’m not head over heels for you….I am...I...I’m bungling this as bad as I did last night aren’t I?”

Bruce is quick to stand up, his hands going to her waist to hold her close to him while maintaining her position on the desk. He clears his throat and looks her in the eyes, blue boring into blue. “Uhh..yeah..I wanted to talk about that too. Umm...well...I’m not going to say I didn’t mean what I said because...I did. It’s like...with you I just get this sense. Everything fits and my goal is clear. As I said I don’t want to say that I regret what I said, I just regret saying it when I said it”.

She reaches out and rubs his cheek. “I think we’re runnin’ in circles here and agreeing with each other she teases. “Yeah. I guess we happen to be on the same wave length”.

“Same bat channel, same bat place” she teases, reaching forward to nuzzle his nose with her own. “I hope this means I can still tell you I love you” he says. Harleen laughs and rolls her eyes. “Puddin’ if you stop telling me that, I’ll kill you”.

His arm snakes around her waist, pulling her just a bit closer. “Well, I’d like to avoid that. Okay so let’s table this conversation for say….six months?” he asks, feeling that that would be fair. He wasn’t a man to wait when he knew the way forward, and Harley wasn’t a patient woman. ‘That probably added to us saying all those not so silly things last night’.

“I’d say that’s a more than adequate time frame Mr. Wayne” she teases, treating this as if it was a board meeting at Wayne Enterprises. “Excellent Ms. Quinzel” he teases right back, offering her his hand. She takes it and shakes firmly, wanting to laugh at how this mirrored her earlier interaction with Alfred.

  
She leans forward and rests her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad I didn’t scare you off” he says, gently taking in her closeness and scent. “Puddin...I jump off of buildings with you, fight giant crocodile monster mobsters, and shadowy underground organizations that are only supposed to be in children’s stories with you. What the hell makes you think a little commitment would scare me off? Why? Are you scared of commitment?” she teases, leaning back.

“No”.

“I bet you are…”

“Not at all”

“Uhhhuhh. I bet you were all freaked out expecting me to go out and buy a wedding dress right now” she teases.

“Pfft...wouldn’t be afraid. I’d be game” he teases, a smirk on his face that gives away the face of their teasing each other about this. She loved it. A serious situation that might’ve been a problem for other couples, maybe even the end of a relationship, was something that was easily worked out between the two of them.

“Sure”.

“I would be”.

  
“Uhh huh...mmmmf”.

She’s silenced from her teasing by the man’s lips being placed around her hers, and his hands moving up and down her side tickling her lightly. She begins to laugh into his mouth, trying to fight her giggles and he now trying to avoid her fingers. “Oooof...someones..hahahaha...ticklish!” she teases, finding Bruce’s spot right above his stomach. He redoubles his effort on her sides which only gets her to drop her hands and try to fight. “Alright! Alright! Uncle, uncle! I’m gonna pee!” she shouts causing the man to stop, both now breathing heavily. 

They lean their foreheads against each other and calm down, revelling in each other’s being there for the other. “I still love you”.

“I love you too Bruce”.

The two stay there in silence for a moment, with Bruce reflecting on when he first found the cave. It was dark and foreboding, a place where he could be alone with his thoughts and cultivate his desire for vengeance. It was a lonely place, and he had retreated to it more often than he was supposed to. But now? Harley was here and...she made it feel different. It wasn’t a place to be alone anymore. It was a place to be with her. To share triumph and failure, tears and smiles. For the first time in his life, since that day...he was happy.

He had her, and two children upstairs counting on him. He couldn’t let himself brood now. But...there was still his mission. It would never change. 

But perhaps it could.

“We better get upstairs and outside. The kids are trouncing Pam in Badminton” she teases. “Boys vs girls?”   
  


“Aww that’s no fair” she teases. “Competing against Jason? I wont be able to score. He’s too cute”.

“My secret weapon” he says, kissing her one final time before backing up and lifting her to the ground by the waist. “Let’s enjoy the day. We’ve got work to do tonight”.

**_Just Outside of the Gotham Gazette_ **

She didn’t know why she was here. She didn’t trust the media, let alone the newspapers. But...someone had to do something. And she was the only one who could. She looks at the passenger seat, the bag she had with all pertinent information contained inside.

She didn’t have Jim to ask for help. Not anymore. But she knew he was watching, and she wanted to show him that he hadn’t backed the wrong horse.    
  


Renee steps out of the car and reaches over to grab the bag from the passenger seat. Loeb had to go. It had gone on too long and nobody was doing anything. Something had to give. She walks up the steps into the atrium of the office, approaching the secretary.

“Hello...I’d like to speak to your editor please. I’ve got a story”.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the lack of updates. A lot has been happening in my personal life that keeps me away from the keyboard. Also writer's block. Thank you to all who keep up with this story! Like I said before it'll be one story broken up into three parts with anywhere between 30 and 40 chapters each. God bless!

**_Arkham Asylum, Juvenile Interview Room 1_ **

“Dick...I really think it might help you if you spoke to me”.

Her voice fell on deaf ears as the boy didn’t even seem to listen to her, opting instead to just look at the wall to his left, occasionally letting lose a peal of laughter. Harleen sighs to herself, bringing her hand up to her forehead. She didn’t know why she was here. She knew it was a bad idea but something...something brought her here.

‘That night’.

She couldn’t stop thinking about it. That horrible night when she and Bruce had confronted the Joker. The night she watched him fall into that vat of acid. She tried to tell herself that it wasn’t her fault, that there was nothing she could’ve done differently but the bat symbol on her chest seemed to have engraved itself deep into her soul. 

She felt responsible now. For everything. This city was hers and it was up to her and Bruce to defend it. Not only that but defend its people, but when she couldn’t even save a child?

She shakes these self doubts away, wanting to reach out to the young boy once again. If she couldn’t save him then, perhaps she could save him now. “Dick..”.

“Stop calling me that”.

The retort had come out of nowhere and shocked her, though it let a glimmer of hope into her heart that he had spoken. “I can call you Richard if you’d like? Richie? Ricky? I’m sorry, I didn’t know which one you’d like” she chuckles to herself.

He frowns, his arms still crossed over his chest as his head is turned to stare at the wall. Slowly though, almost imperceptibly, he turns to look at the woman from across the table. “I don’t have a name” he says.

“Yes you do, you’re Richard John Grayson” she says, not enjoying where the conversation was going as her initial excitement was wearing away. He holds up a finger and sways it, mocking her with a quick succession of “nuh uhh uhh”.

“He died that night and me? I was born. But my dad didn’t name me. Not yet. He’s here, can I see him?’

She looks away at her clipboard, pretending to try and note something down but in reality just trying to get away from his gaze. His eyes, they bored into her in a way that made her highly uncomfortable, and it only added to the guilt coiling around in her stomach.

She couldn’t help but think of Jason while looking at the boy.

“John Doe isn’t your father” she gently chides him, wanting to get back on topic.

“Well of course not” Dick says as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I don’t even know a John Doe. Joker is my dad!” he says before cackling like mad. Harleen wants to rip into the man, to kill him right now for the crime of twisting up someone who was once so innocent. ‘It would be easy’ her mind whispers. ‘A batarang right across the throat. Nobody would know or care’.

‘I would’ she says, quieting the voice. ‘And so would Bruce’.

Somehow that thought was the one that further cemented her resolve. “Dick” she says, reaching across the table to try and take the little boy’s hand. Just before she can make contact he pulls away, and frowns at her, all mirth falling away from his face. “You’re not special you know”.

That surprised her but she thought it was a good area to explore, or at least to get out of where they were now. “Did I say I was?” she asks. He continues to glare, a hateful venomous glare that promised violence at the drop of a hat. “He thinks you are” he clarifies. “He thinks you’re special. He told me that you’d be my mommy. But you’re boring. No. I’d hate it if you were my mommy. We wont be a family. Not you”.

Harleen pauses, licking her lips and closing her eyes as she tries to steady herself, wanting to come up with something, anything that might help break the young boy’s attachment to the clown themed madman. “Richard...you had a mother. Mary Grayson..do you remember her?”

He’s quiet for a moment, but the rage was still there. Bringing up the woman had obviously not been a good idea. “You’re not listening” he seethes, gripping the table and leaning forward. She knew Doyle, who was waiting outside the cell, would be worried and gripping the bars of the cell but she could handle herself and he knew it. 

“She was Richard Grayson’s mommy, and she wasn’t a good one” he says, trading off of a faux childishness for sympathy, or simply to throw someone off. 

It was working, and she had to stop it from affecting her no matter how hard it was..

“She never kissed him good night, or hugged him or told him a bed time story. All she did was hit him, especially when she was drinking” he teases, mimicking the act of drinking from a bottle. “But that was only when she noticed him. She only ever noticed his dad, either to fight or join in together against him”.

Her heart was breaking because out of all the things she’d heard from the boy she knew that this was at least true. The child protective services report that Doctor Leland had allowed her to read had outlined the abuse and neglect the boy suffered.

“Dick” she says, once more trying to reach for the boy to provide comfort.

“YOU’RE NOT MY MOMMY!” he shouts, jumping up and slamming his fists on the table. He glares down at her now, his feet standing on the chair as if he was ready to lunge at her. Another minute and Doyle would burst into the room, but slowly the boy seems to lose interest, the anger now out of him. His hands come up to rub his own cheeks, the pure white stained skin standing out just like on the man who had created him.

The murderous impulses rise back within the blonde.

“But I know who my mommy is” the boy says, his blood red lips spreading into a macabre grin. “Who is your mother Dick?” Harleen asks, feeling a sense of resignation that made her want to cry. ‘We have to help him! We have to!’

“Batwoman” he says, sending a chill up and down the woman’s spine. “She’s my mommy, and papa Joker? He needs to know about it”. He begins to pick at his fingernails before he looks at her once again. “She’s so much more special than you. She’s prettier than you, because she’s scary!” he says excitedly before frowning at her. “You’re just normal. You could be anywhere and anyone walking down the street. But she’s scary! She’s meant to be. My daddy is scary too. Hahahah...hahah...scarier, scarier than the Batman!” 

Harleen didn’t like where this was all going but she couldn’t look away, like her eyes were stuck glued to a train wreck. 

“The way she tried to save me! She jumped right after me but she was too scared to go into the acid like me. That’s okay...I forgive her” he explains. “When we push her in, she wont have to be afraid because I’ll be there! Me and daddy will be there for her. But first? Papa Joker needs to forget about you..” he explains, slowly reaching down to his sock. The action was caught by Harleen and she already knew what to do, but Doyle was just as quick on the mark. 

“SHANK! SHANK!” he shouts, bursting into the room just as Dick makes to throw himself over the table, the sharpened down toothbrush in his hand. Doyle catches him and slams his small body down onto the table, causing him to cry out in pain.

“Doyle don’t hurt him!” Harleen shouts, rushing forward to try and move the man off of the boy, wanting to deescalate the situation to the best of her abilities. As she gets close to the now still boy, wanting to check on him, he lunges again, getting close to Harleen than was comfortable. Apparently, it had been very close as the shank scratches out across the woman’s cheek, drawing a quick gush of blood from the surprisingly deep cut. 

“Ahh” she shouts out, turning away from the now struggling boy. Doyle is fighting to keep him pinned to the table, but he was writhing and moving so much. It’s after a herculean effort that the man manages to get the shank out of his hands. 

“SOMEONE GET IN HERE AND HELP US GODDAMMIT!” Doyle shouts, prompting three more guards and Doctor Leland to enter. The men work on pinning the boy while Leland pulls the plunger of the syringe containing an anesthetic.

“Hold him!” the older doctor shouts while Harley hangs back, still holding her wound. She knew she could’ve taken him, but she had a deep fear that she wouldn’t be able to hurt him. She knew she couldn’t hurt him.

“I HATE YOU!” he screams out, staring right at Harleen through the mass of people working to contain him before Leland finds a spot in his shoulder to inject him. He lets out a startled gasp of pain before the struggles cease to be organized, degenerating into seemingly random spasms as the boy’s eyes close. He’s out for the count and Doyle turns to look at the blonde once the crisis has passed.

“Doc you alright?” he asks, drawing a nervous nod from the woman who quickly turns and exits the room. Some might’ve mistaken it for fear, or exhilaration at surviving. It was neither. She couldn’t look at the little boy who’d been so easily destroyed from the inside out.

“Harleen…”

Leland’s voice from beside her tips her off that the older, more experienced doctor was there and had been watching. She raises a hand, warning the woman off. “I’m fine...I’m fine it’s just…”.

There was sympathy in her mentor’s eyes, and that’s what mattered the most. She shook her head and closes her eyes, her mouth opening to try and say something, anything to explain how she was feeling. Nothing comes out. Nothing could explain it, not without the other woman knowing the intricacies of her night life as well.

“I don’t think you should be working on Richard’s case Harleen”.

That was a shock, and the blond hadn’t been prepared. She turns, waiting for an explanation. “Why?”

“Because you’re too close and I don’t know why” Leland says while reaching out to place a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “You’re not really trained in juvenile psychiatry, which is a whole other field in and of itself. And this one has rattled you, and that I do know why”.

‘Joker’.

She didn’t want to say it out loud and Harleen didn’t want to hear it but they both knew that that was what was being driven at. The man had targeted Harleen but he’d found Dick instead. It was easy to see why she’d requested to work on the boy’s case.

‘She’s right’ her mind whispers against her will. ‘You can’t help him. Maybe nobody can. The life he’s lived? All its marks are already there. Nobody was there for him. Nobody. Not even you’.

‘Some hero’.

She just looks down at the floor, unable to fight the facts that were so readily apparent to her mind. “Alright Doctor Leland. Alright” she concedes.

“It’s not healthy for either of you”

“I know it’s just..”

Leland reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder, nodding as she already knew the answer. They didn’t need to exchange words. ‘We all have those patients’ she reminds herself. A sad look is cast over her shoulder at the cell and Harleen looks away as quickly as she can. She couldn’t bear it but she had to. 

“Just...help him...please Joan” she implores the woman, stopping only for another second. “I promise Harleen. I’ll try my best. Nobody is going to abandon Dick”.

Harleen grimaces, feeling that she was doing exactly that by walking away from him like she was. 

“Thank you”.

At that moment, a horrifying raucous laughter could be heard from one ward over, Harley’s ward. It chilled her very spine and filled her with a rage she never thought possible before. The Joker.

They were obviously moving him from his cell for some reason or another, most likely another supervised excursion outdoors for exercise. Harleen stiffens and Joan notices it instantly. The blonde rushes out, wanting to ensconce herself in her office for a little while, or so joan thought.

‘That bastard! That...monster’.

It was true and she knew it, though her entire being struggled against the conclusion. She had said it to him before but even then she wasn’t sure if she had even really meant them. The Joker was a monster. An incurable evil. 

  
‘Kill him. For Dick and everyone else he’s going to hurt’.

It was a comforting thought. The reality of it was easier done than thought for her, especially in Gotham. All it would take would be to snap his neck and fake a suicide, or overdose him on something. It would be easy...too easy.

These thoughts were set against the backdrop of a blazing inferno, the bat symbol. It was a symbol now. THE symbol. For Bruce it represented a way to get back at the man who took his parents from him. Every criminal he punched was Joe Chill. She knew it. In his mind they were all the same. Young punks with guns.

That’s what made the fact that he hadn’t killed and refused to kill even more admirable. If someone had killed her mother, or sister or even her brother? She wouldn’t have been able to stop herself from ripping that person’s throat open. Her father? She would’ve sent them a thank you note.

She opens the door to her office and closes it quickly, wanting to block out the incessant laughter of the Joker who she knew was doing this to get under people’s skin. She wouldn’t let it work on her. 

‘You’re Batwoman’.

That thought comforted her quite often. She had her own reasons for doing this, and not all of them were her love of Bruce though she’d be the first to admit that was a big part of it. She felt powerful when wearing the suit. In a way...every thug she punched? Was her father.

She pushes the momentarily inconsequential thoughts aside for the moment, shelving them for later genuflection and appraisal for when she didn’t have something to do. She moves towards her filing cabinets and pushes it out a bit, exposing the aged brick wall behind it. She smiles at seeing the files, right where they’d been placed by her after Pamela was thrown out of the asylum.

She’d been waiting for the right time to do what had to be done, and now? Harvey was telling her it was the right time. Tonight, Quincy Sharpe was going to endorse Mayor Hamilton Hill’s bid for reelection. During it, all reporters present would be pinged to ask the two about why there was such a glaring irregularity at Arkham Asylum...an illegal and corrupt irregularity.

She had to resist the urge to jump up and down in joy with what they were planning but she knew that timing was everything. ‘Sharpe won’t be expecting this’ she says in a teasing sing song voice mentally. She reaches for her purse and stuffs the files into it, pushing the filing cabinet back into place to hide her journal, which she left behind. 

Her phone suddenly starts to ring, and she reaches into her pocket to pick it up. “Hello Puddin...everything okay?” she asks, using the code that she’d devised to warn Bruce that she’d gotten the files. “I’m going to pick up milk on the way home. Need anything else?” 

“I think we’re good sweetie”.

“That’s good. Everything else okay?” she asks, a little concerned. “Ohh yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine” Bruce says with the backdrop of rushing wind and traffic alongside his voice. “Where ya going?” she asks, sitting back in her chair.

“Hiya Harleen!”

She smiles wide at the excited voice which interjects itself, obviously having taken the phone. She hears Bruce in the background try to chastise the girl, but she knew that the little red head would get away with practically anything when it came to Bruce. “Hiya muffin. What are you doing?”

“Bruce is taking me on a business trip!” Barbara says excitedly.

“Ohh...and where’s Jason?” 

“He wasn’t feeling good” Barbara says sadly, audibly wilting at her friend not being there. “He threw up and had a fever, so auntie Pam is going to stay with him. I wanted to stay too but Bruce said he would get me an ice cream cone and we’d stop at the toy store on the way home to get something to cheer up Jason. He’s never had a toy before, can you believe it? I wanna get him the best..”

“Okay, okay Barbara just one second” she hears as Bruce takes the phone back. “I need to talk to her for a second. I know...I know! You’ll be able to tell her tonight sweetie I promise” he says, still having an only half heard conversation with the insistent little girl. She couldn’t help but smile, biting her lip and swaying in the chair as she hears it all. Bruce finally sighs and gives in, just as the blonde knew he would. “Alright, alright. One more thing” he says, handing the phone back but keeping his grip on it.

  
“I love you Harleen! Have a good day at work!” Barbara says, causing Harley to practically explode in joy. “I love you too muffin! I’ll see you soon okay?”

“Alright, alright let me have the phone back Barb... she really wanted to talk to you” Bruce says, finally getting control of the phone back. “I can tell” Harley laughs out, not able to help the tears that are leaking out of her eyes. She wipes them away, knowing that not only were the two kids her weak spot, but also needing that after being faced with something she considered to be a failure of hers.

‘I wont let you two down’ she says, making a mental vow. ‘Bruce and I are gonna do everything we can for you. Barbara...Jason….’.

“You okay?”

Bruce’s words bring her back to reality and she shakes out of it. “Yeah, yeah, just...just a rough day” she says with a brave smile. “I really needed that. Cute little muffin”.

“Our Barbara certainly has a way of cheering everyone up”. That word made her smile, remembering the strange situation she found herself in, especially when it came to the kids and Bruce. ‘Our Barbara, our Jason...my Bruce’.

“Jason isn’t feeling good?” she asks, leaning into her desk a bit as the nervousness creeps into her voice. “He’s a bit under the weather but don’t worry” he says, trying to cut her off at the pass despite knowing that she’d be worrying anyway. “Alfred, Pamela and I all checked him out. He’s okay. Just the common cold. Still, I wanted to keep him in today, and I knew if I left Barbara there he wouldn’t get any peace, either from worrying about her or her barging in to worry over him” he explains.

“Ahh...makes sense. Makes sense” she says, indeed knowing that that was most likely the best course of action when it came to those two. “Soooo...I got her out of the house with a promise to get Jason and her something at the toy store”.

“Bruceeee….you’re not supposed to spoil them” she teases, drawing her words out until she finishes, “without me”.

Bruce laughs heartily before getting to the reason for his call. “Also, I have to make a quick trip downtown” he says. “Ohh?”

“Apparently, Ms. Selina Kyle of Stagg industries wants to meet me and discuss some sort of partnership between Wayne Enterprises and Stagg Industries, soon to be Kyle Industries”.

It was clear that this was related to their night time exploits, but Harleen still couldn’t shake that feeling of discomfort. “I don’t like the way she looks at you”.

“Harley...you have nothing to worry about”.

There was something in the way he spoke that just told her to trust him. She smiles and holds the phone close. “Good. Because I’d hate to think I had competition” she says, letting out a slightly snarky tone. “Somebody sounds jealous” he teases.

“I thought you said I shouldn’t be?”

“You shouldn’t” he says back, apparently now having gotten used to Harley’s teasing. “But...it still is rather hot to hear you be jealous”.

She blushes and her face turns a bright red, making her look more like a potato than the doctor she was. “Don’t say that in front of Barbara” she chastises, smiling like mad. “But...later, when we’re alone...I think I might show you what I look like when I’m jealous”.

“I can’t wait”.

“Hmm...me neither”.

The two fall into a comfortable silence until Bruce breaks it. “I’ll keep you informed though. Something is strange about this. Stagg’s death, niece showing up out of nowhere and now the sudden interest in Wayne Enterprises?”

“I don’t think she’s interested in your company puddin’. I think she’s more interested in you”.

  
“Well, let’s save that for later” he says while the car turns onto the parkway. “I have to go Harleen. We’re almost there”.

“You be careful Bruce...you keep our muffin safe”.

“I will Harls...Oh! Right before I forget, Barbara packed your lunch. She hopes you like it” he teases. “I’ll love it you tell that little stinker. I love you Barbara!” she says a little louder, hoping the little one could hear her. She hears a quieter, though still obviously shouted, “I love you Harleen!” from the background. 

“I love you Bruce”.

“I love you too Harleen”.

The two both hang up their respective phones, knowing that no matter what they’d keep going if they didn’t cut it off. That was surprising to her. There was no end to the honeymoon phase, especially not after her moving in. She’d expected it to drop off, for his “I love you”s to stop sending butterflies rattling along her ribcage or for his kisses to become less sweet.

They hadn’t, and she sure hoped that they never did.

She remembers her lunch and reaches out under her desk, knowing that the little redheaded girl would have most likely put it in her backpack. She sees the brown paper bag with the top rolled up and reaches for it, opening it up and spilling the contents onto the desk. 

“Ahhh...what do we got here...hmm, peanut butter and jelly sandwich” she says happily, pulling the soggy too much peanut butter filled bread out of the zip lock bag. “Sweetie...just how I like it!” she says the non present Barbara before casting her eyes to the other items. “Red gatorade, fruit rollup, a bag of doritos...I have to teach her about healthy eating and nutrition” she chuckles to herself before biting into the sandwich. It’s then that the blonde notices the rolled up piece of paper that had fallen out beside the food, and she curiously reaches forward to pick it up. 

She wipes her face with a napkin, using her fingers to unroll it. She’s shocked by what she sees but it gives way to a smile. 

Barbara had drawn her a picture, with each stick figure neatly labelled. She was dead center, holding onto Jason’s hand. Both stick figures had a wide smiling face and were noticeably smaller than the others. Barbara’s other free hand was extended to a male character with dark hair and blue eyes. “Bruce” she says, looking next to Jason to see her own representative holding tightly onto Jason. In the background was a hunched over stick figure, carrying a bunch of plates on his back. “Alfred” she chuckles before seeing Pamela and Harvey holding hands as well. Atop the whole picture was one word.

“Family?”

She had written it with a question mark at the end, as if she wasn’t sure. Harleen felt the tears prick up behind her eyes once more and she almost chokes, fighting to swallow down her sadness. She picks it up and grabs a thumbtack, pinning it to a board right next to her desk. She smiles up at it and nods. 

“Yes sweetie. Family”.

**_Stagg Enterprises_ **

“Ohh Ms. Kyle will be with you in a moment Mr. Wayne. Would you or your daughter like anything to drink or eat?” 

The secretary had been more than accommodating ever since the two had stepped out of the elevator, and Barbara was being a perfect angel. “No thank you miss. We should be alright for now” Bruce said in response, sitting down as he got ready to wait. Barbara plopped down right next to him, humming to herself.

The secretary just nods and smiles, leaving for a moment to inform her boss of her impending company. 

“Sooo...enjoying your first day out on behalf of Wayne Enterprises?” Bruce asks. “Uhhmm. I wish Jason could’ve come” she says, a little sadly. “I know...so do I. I think he’ll enjoy next time though”. He couldn’t help it as he reaches out to run his fingers through her hair, which was already uneven. With a frown he tries to fix it. “Huh...I thought Pam helped you brush your hair this morning”.

“She did. But I messed it up”.

“Harleen is right...you are a little stinker” he teases, poking her side and causing the little girl to giggle. He keeps it up and smiles when she tries to roll away from him on the chair. She was blocked by the arm of her chair, allowing Bruce to continue to tickle her. “Ahh..got you trapped”.

“Hhahahah! Sssstttopppp!” she says while laughing. Bruce keeps it up, knowing that for a minute or two it would be okay to continue. “What’s the magic word?”

At that moment the doors to the office open and Selina steps out to be puzzled at the sight in front of her. Soon it turns to utter joy at seeing the man of her dreams so openly and affectionately playing with his daughter. ‘Ohh Bruce...my love….’. It was the first in an unbroken chain of domestic experiences she hoped to begin having with the man.

“I believe the magic word is….please?” she teases out, venturing as she tries to join in on the fun.

Bruce stops tickling Barbara and turns, standing up abruptly. “Ohh...Ms. Kyle...my apol…”

Before the words are off his lips she moves forward, waving them away. “Don’t apologize at all” she says. “In fact, this place is so boooooring that if you want to liven it up in anyway, do it, even if it means tickling this little miss”.

Barbara felt shy around the woman once again, but she couldn’t help but smile at her from behind Bruce’s leg. “Heya again Barbara” Selina says, once again moving lower to eye level, wanting to approach the girl with a bit less formality than last time. “How are you?”

“Hi Ms.Kyle” Barbara says in response. “I’m good. How are you?”

“Ohh I’d be better if you just called me Selina sweetie. Ms. Kyle makes me sound old. I’m not old am I?” she teases with a wink, causing Barbara to giggle. “No”.

“Well, maybe I am to you. Practically ancient. It’s so nice that Bruce brought you along!” she says, standing up and looking at the man, indeed meaning her words. She had initially thought Bruce would be alone, and she’d spent all night agonizing about how she’d approach him. ‘Good thing Barbara is here’ she thinks. ‘I’ll be forced to control myself around him’.

“Well, I wanted to take Jason along too but he’s a bit under the weather today”.

“Awww….the poor little guy. What’s wrong?”

“Well, nothing serious. He just got sick and has a little bit of a fever” Bruce says. Selina is instantly reminded of a remedy she took in her youth and it makes her smile to be able to help the boy already. “Give him a little ginseng mixed with honey. It settles the stomach” she says.

“Hmm...a bit of medical knowledge then?”

She turns and gestures with her hand to follow her into her office, putting a little extra sway into her hips to hopefully show Bruce a bit of what she could offer him. “A little here and there. I’m a woman of mystery after all” she explains.

‘Something we have in common’.

Bruce was unable to look away for a moment, but he averts his eyes while realizing that she had intentionally wanted to tease him. He was unaffected, but he knew the signs of seduction when he saw them, and he knew that the woman was trying on him. ‘Alright, question is...for nefarious hidden reasons? Or just to have access to Bruce Wayne and his money?’ He wasn’t quite sure, but most likely, as with many women in this city, it was the second. He felt that there was something more to all of this though. 

Her office was wide and spacious, thought it lacked much warmth. “Make yourself at home...well, as much at home as you can” she says. “I know, I know. I could see it in your faces. This place stinks” she teases, pinching the bridge of her nose and distorting her voice, causing Barbara to smile again. Bruce moves forward and sits down in the chair opposite the one Selina took before he reached to the side and hoisted Barbara into his lap, balancing her there.

He looked at Selina, as if asking for a pardon for the informality. She didn’t care. She was ecstatic. ‘She smiled at me! She laughed at me! My daughter smiled at me!’.

She couldn’t take her eyes off of the little girl, or the man holding her. “Well, I bet you want to know why I called you here” she teases. Bruce smiles back, a little reservedly. “It would be a bit nice to know the answer to that sure”.

She reaches into her desk and pulls out a few pieces of paper before holding them aloft. “These are my uncles last contracts” she explains before throwing them onto the table, one by one. “Chemical weapons, biological weapons, all sorts of mean and nasty things to be used on the battlefield” she explains.

Barbara looks at the papers and shakes her head, looking up to Bruce. “Only bad men sell that. That’s like...drugs right?”

“No sweetie” Selina interjects, loving the girl’s naivete and wanting to preserve some of it while also including her as an equal member of this conversation. “Worse than drugs. These are meant to hurt people on a large scale...a lot of people”.

“I wouldn’t have even thought..” Bruce says, lying as he tries to play himself off as the clueless billionaire. Selina sees right through it though and smirks, wanting his eyes to rove over her body in the same way they were roving over the papers in his hands. ‘Memorizing every detail...remembering every moan’.

She shakes these thoughts away, reminding herself of Barbara’s presence. ‘Easy girl. Easy’. She managed it, but she still had to urge to throw herself over at the man and claim him as her own. 

“Neither would anyone I guess” Selina says sadly. “But that’s over now” she explains fiercely. “No more will Kyle Industries work on making these bad things” she says, more for Barbara than anyone else. “I’m like you Bruce. I want to help this city. Help it to heal and get better. But….I...well, I’m not the smartest” she says, rubbing her arm subconsciously as she plays an act herself. ‘The helpless woman! It’ll pull him right in’.

“I have a lot of people still here fighting me on this. I want Kyle Industries to be a pharmaceutical company, one not focused on making money, lets face it we have enough. I want to heal people Bruce...I need your help” she explains, reaching across the table and placing her hand over his. The man is startled but doesn’t move, feeling that he was on the edge of discovering the mystery. 

“I want Wayne Enterprises and Kyle Industries to merge” she explains, shocking the man. Here was a woman, now in control of one of Gotham city’s largest companies, wanting to give up said company’s autonomy? There had to be a catch.

“I’m afraid that Wayne Enterprises just wouldn’t have enough money to acquire your company Ms. Kyle...and even if we did, I’m not sure my investors would want to have two ceo…”

“I don’t want any money for this” she explains, further shocking the man. “And I don’t want to be in charge. All I want is for my name to be added, a little something to feel proud of, and some sort of job within the company” she explains. “Wayne-Kyle Industries. Together. As one. With you in charge Bruce” she says, her voice taking on an almost pleading tone as her fingers lace through his own. 

“Imagine all the good we could do Bruce. Consider it...a marriage” she says, deeply enjoying that word. “A marriage between two houses for the better of the city. Like in Medieval Europe” she says. 

Bruce was flabbergasted, and he didn’t know what to say. His mind was already at work though, and he knew something was up. ‘Batman and Batwoman definitely have to investigate this’ he reminds himself mentally. Barbara turns in his arms and looks up worryingly at Bruce. “You’re going to marry Selina? No...you’re supposed to marry Harleen!” she says, suddenly upset. Bruce laughs aloud, his hands going to her cheeks as he fights to calm the little girl down. “No..no sweetie. That’s not what she meant!” he explains, looking to Selina as if he was asking her to help him.

She didn’t want to tell the little girl that she wasn’t marrying her father, because she firmly believed she was going to. Merging their companies was just the first step of her plan. She’d imbed herself into his life like a tick, working until he couldn’t breathe in without smelling her, or act without her being there to assist. She’d push Harleen Quinzel out of his and Barbara and Jason’s lives slowly. ‘Death by a thousand cuts’ she thinks, but still hating that she had to lose this battle to win the war.

“Ohh sweetie...no. We’re just talking about the companies” she says, not making a committed answer. ‘For now’.

The girl calms but something in her eyes hints that she doesn’t exactly believe Selina. She looks at her, probing with an intensity that seemed strange in such a young girl. Selina smiles back, not wanting to back away from the challenge presented by those eyes. ‘Such beautiful eyes’ she thinks mentally. 

Regardless of the staring contest between the two, Bruce still felt the weight of the woman’s suggestion hanging in the air. “Seli…”. Just then his phone rings, and he looks down to see that it was Lucius. Whatever it was, he knew it was important. 

He takes the opportunity to move his hand out of Selina’s grasp and to answer the phone, casting an apologetic glance at the woman. “Sorry, I have to take this”. He was glad for it, as the groping and cloying contact Selina had tried to enforce upon him had started to grate on him. He makes to take Barbara’s hand but is stopped by the other woman. “It’s okay!” she says, a little excitedly. “I don’t mind watching her for a few minutes” she says.

Bruce looks between Barbara and Selina, and Barbara gives a little nod. He didn’t like involving her too much in his night time activities, though he knew it would be impossible not to one day. Still...let her be a kid. He leans down and kisses the top of her head while answering the phone. “Hello Lucius..yes one second” he says before turning to Barbara. “I’ll be right back. Be a good girl” he says, knowing it was a moot point. 

Barbara was always well behaved. 

With a smile and a nod he walks out of the office, staying close in case he heard anything. Selina was more than happy to have Barbara alone, not for any nefarious purposes but just wanting a chance to get closer and earn back some of the trust she’d lost due to the “marriage” comment.

“He’s always so busy huh?”

“Uhhm” Barbara says cutely, swinging her legs in the chair that Bruce had vacated, the size being much larger than her small frame. “But he always plays with us. He always comes home and wants to play soldiers or tea party or tag, and badminton is fun! Do you ever play badminton? I love it. Jason doesn’t but he plays with me anywa…”

Her words fade into the background and Selina just listens, letting her go on and on and smiling wider with each word. ‘Badminton, barbies, and cars? Well...at least I know what you like sweetie’ she thinks, watching the girl contentedly. It’s then that she remembers that she had a gift for the girl, well both of them, but she wanted to give Jason’s to him in person as well. 

“Hold that thought sweetie...hold that thought!” she urges before reaching into her desk drawer and pulling it out. Barbara was now curious and she waited patiently, loving that the woman just let her talk. Selina reaches in and pulls out a barbie doll, still in the box. She hides it from Barbara’s view though. 

“Close your eyes!” she says excitedly, hiding it behind her back.

Barbara was already excited, not having expected a gift. “Ohhh! A present! I love presents! But….I shouldn’t accept one from a stranger” she says, her eyes still screwed tight. “Ohh sweetie...I’m no stranger. I promise it’s fine. If Bruce yells at you, I’ll take the heat” she says.

“Promise?”

“I pinky promise” she says, moving around the desk to take the little girl’s pinky in her own. Barbara smiles and nods, excited beyond excited for the gift. Selina reaches forward and places it in her lap. “Alright sweetie. Open your eyes”.

Barbara does as she was asked and shouts in joy at seeing the present.

“A barbie doll! Ohh thank you! Thank you!” she says, rushing forward to wrap her arms around the woman’s legs. Selina was over the moon. Beyond the moon. She was on Mars. She quickly moves down, forgetting her desire to never kneel before anyone as she hugs the little redhead, kissing her cheek. “I’m so glad you like it! I chose one especially for you”.

“I love it! Even more because she’s my favorite superhero! I love Black Widow! She’s amazing! So tough and…” Barbara goes on.

“Ohh? I didn’t know she was a superhero” Selina says, having read the box but not really understanding what it meant. She thought it was just a spy character, and she wanted to give Barbara a toy that could be fun. “She is! She’s my favorite! She has red hair, just like me!”.

She reaches out and caresses the little girl’s cheek, so happy at the joyful expression. Her mind wonders back to what would have been her reaction had Leslie given her such a gift. ‘It only cost me fifty dollars. Nothing. What could something so small, less even, have cost someone like Leslie?’

The answer infuriated her, but her rage was buried as she continued to gaze at Barbara, who was still going on as she regaled the woman with tales of the superheroine’s exploits. “I didn’t even know you liked superheroes” Selina says, seeing her fortune in having picked the best possible gift. 

“Uhhmm! But the best one is Batman! He’s awesome!” she says, still keeping Bruce’s secret even while talking to the woman. It caused the woman to laugh internally, as she too shared the little girl’s opinion on Batman. “Ohh absolutely! He’s the best. My favorite. Well, now that I know what you like, I’ll be sure to get more”.

“You don’t have too!” she says bashfully. “Ohh I insist. A princess like you? She should be spoiled, and by more than just that handsome father of yours” Selina says, leaning in to kiss the girl’s forehead. Bruce takes that moment to reenter the room, his call apparently having ended.

He sees Selina, huddled close to Barbara while the young girl clutches a box to her chest. Barbara turns and smiles, rushing at the man while showing off her new toy. “Bruce! Bruce! Look what Auntie Selina gave me!” she says, already using a term of endearment for the woman.

She slowly rises, resting her back against the desk and crossing her arms. ‘Isn’t exactly mommy yet, but it’ll do for now’. She was too happy for anyone to bring her down at this moment. Bruce was smiling down at the girl but part of him was once again on edge. “Ohh, Selina you didn’t have to do that” he says, once again being shushed by the woman. “I wanted too. I also have a gift for Jason but I’d rather give it to him in person if that’s okay..these two...they’ve been through a lot and I just want them to know that not everyone in Gotham is like that” she explains, running her fingers through a now very comforted Barbara who was too busy looking at her new toy to hear the woman’s words.

Bruce was dumbfounded, and he didn’t really know what to make of Selina Kyle at that moment. She did sound genuine but in Gotham? That wasn’t enough. So instead of making a call at that moment, he turns to Barbara. “Come on muffin” he says, picking up Harley’s word for her, to which Barbara dutifully responds and moves towards Bruce. 

Selina was trying not to melt. ‘Muffin! Ahhh. Muffin. Too cute’.

“Unfortunately Selina, we have to go” he says, faking a grimace. “I have to be at Wayne Tower for a quick stockholders update meeting. It’s apparently very important”.

Selina just nods, her eyes appraising the man as she comes forward to place her hand out for him to shake. “No problem Bruce. Just...think on what I’m offering. And about the job, I don’t care what it is. I’ll even be your secretary if you want” she teases, having to suppress her blush at the though.

_ “Ms. Kyle, it’s come to my attention that your top is unbuttoned” _

_ “Yes Mr. Wayne. It is”. _

_ “That’s a direct violation of our dress code” he teases, getting up and moving around her, resting his hand on her ass. She leans forward on the desk, wiggling her rear end for him and his appraisal. “I’ll have to punish you Selina” he whispers against her ear, breath tickling her skin. _

_ “Bruce...please do. I’m your bad girl!” _

She shakes these thoughts away quickly, trying to fight the heat welling up inside of her. ‘What a daydream. I really, really wouldn’t mind being his secretary at all’. Bruce at that moment looked to be within his own mind, and he picks up Barbara, opting to carry the slowly tiring child. “You okay Barb?” he asks. 

Her response is to yawn and nod, resting her head on his shoulder. “Uhhmm”.

He turns and smiles at Selina who moves forward to rub her back. “All that talking tuckered you out sweetie?” she asks, though no malice was within her voice. “You don’t know the half of it” he says back, rubbing the little girl’s shoulder as he uses his arm to keep her secure against him. He turns back to Selina and nods. “I’ll think about it”.

She shrugs, pretending that it didn’t matter to her at all. “All I’m asking you to do” she says as Bruce turns and begins to walk out of the door. “Next time bring Jason too please! I can already tell I like that handsome little gentleman of yours” she says. 

Bruce just smiles and shakes his head, exiting the office but not saying anything as he didn’t want to wake Barbara. He knew that he had to talk to Harleen, and they had to investigate her later on. But for now? He’d take Barbara to the toy store like he promised.

He and Selina agreed on at least one thing.

Spoiling the children.

**_Later that night, City Hall_ **

“And that’s why I’d like to endorse Mayor Hamilton Hill for reelection. After all, if it’s not broken, why fix it?” the short man in the spectacles asks. Aside from a few donors, nobody but the press was there, and none felt any real particular enthusiasm for Hamilton Hill, who stood beside the warden with an air of uncaring aloofness. 

‘Damn thing is dragging on forever’ he thinks, watching the clouds gather over Gotham.

Suddenly, a murmur goes off in the crowd as numerous reporters reach into their pockets, retracting their cell phones. Unfortunately, at that moment, Sharpe opened himself up to questions, which he hoped would remain on his endorsement of the sitting mayor.

“Now, does anyone have any questions?” he asks before his eyes settle on a rather shapely blonde. “Ahh yes, Ms. Vale” he says, her name seeming to come off with a lecherous tone. “What can I do for you?”

The woman seemed nonplussed and even angered by the insinuation in the man’s voice, but she was more than willing to go on. “Yeah...you can start by telling me how it is that over eighteen thousand dollars has gone missing from the Arkham general fund over the last month” she asks, the warden’s mouth opening in shock.

He turns to the mayor, expecting a way out though he is disappointed as Hill was just as white in fear as him. ‘How can anyone possibly know about that?’

The other reporters, sensing blood in the water, begin to all speak out of turn. “Mayor Hill! Mayor Hill! What about the death of your former wife in Arkham? Her toxicity report just came out. High levels of arsenic in her blood! Why was this hidden and why did you have her committed despite there being no history of mental illness?”

The mayor turned almost puce, and without a thought he turned and walked off stage. The questions kept coming though, and Quincy Sharpe was left to take their brunt. “Warden Sharpe! There have been a record number of deaths and injuries of unnatural causes in Arkham!”

“Why did you throw out the heroine known as Poison Ivy? Inside reports suggest you destroyed her flowers too!”

“Warden Sharpe! Warden Sharpe!”

The man wanted to shrink into himself, while inside city hall Hill was fuming. “Dent! Dent fucking did this!” he fumes to himself, thinking of ways to try and control or spin the story in his favor. His guard moves up beside him, and he can’t help but speak openly. “Mandragora” he says quickly. “He owes me. He owes me one. You get him on the phone and tell him to take care of this! You hear me?” the mayor shouts and the man nods. 

“But make sure his prints are nowhere near it. If they are, they’ll know it was me. This fucking bullshit! We were so close. Why can’t Dent just roll the fuck over and admit he lost huh? Handle. This. Now” he says, trying to get as far away from downtown Gotham as he could.

‘This isn’t the end’ he thinks to himself, moving towards the rear of the building. ‘No. This is just the beginning’.


	21. Chapter 21

**_GCPD Prisoner Transport Vehicle, Gotham City_ **

“Fucking bats...ruined it. Ruined everything”.

The man was mumbling to himself, though the words he spoke didn’t escape the driver of the van. “Shut up back there Lynns”. The arsonist nods, being surprisingly polite and courteous to law enforcement officials. He didn’t know why, but outside of the suit he wore? He felt as docile as a lamb. 

Maybe it was just because of a deep seated fear he had when it came to his scars. His entire body was covered in them, what was left from years and years of burning himself. He didn’t know why he did it. It started as a compulsion. Whenever he felt that creeping numbness, especially around his perfectionist family? He’d burn himself.

It started with matches that he’d press against his midsection. He’d hold in the scream or grunts of pain which only made it better for him. His whole life was one giant facade growing up. He had to be the perfect kid being the son of an Episcopal priest. All eyes were on him. When he felt sad or down, he couldn’t cry out. He just had to smile and keep moving on because he couldn’t face the disappointed stares of his parents.

“Count it all joy when you encounter various trials…” he says, reciting scripture from the book of James. He tried. He really did, but in the end he just wanted to scream. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, trash the church and kill his family, but he couldn’t. No, that kind of training stays with you for the rest of your life. So he turned to fire. He liked how it felt, and the level of control he exercised over it. 

At first? It was easy to hide, but over the years he’d gotten more extreme. If he had to hazard a guess it was because the fire was a bit like a drug. He’d gotten used to his original dosage and matches and lighters didn’t do it anymore. So one day, he got a small water bottle and filled it with gasoline before setting his entire leg on fire. 

“Ohh man did that feel good!” he shouts to himself.

“Lynns!” the banging on the steel barrier between the back and front interrupts him. “We said be quiet. We’re almost there”.

“Sorry...sorry” he whispers to himself, trying to remember the feeling of how those flames danced over his legs, the blurring pain. It wiped away everything. The anger, the frustration and the rage. He couldn’t stop and then...well...he couldn’t hide it anymore. When his family found out he was thrown into the street. That was fine with him. Less pretending. But he felt a little restless. His life wasn’t planned out for him anymore. There was no more seminary, no more following in his dear old dad’s footsteps.

No.

He was the master of his own destiny, and now? He wanted to burn it all down.

Everyone should know what it was like to be this free, to feel that sense of just how destructible everything was. He had a constant vision of the city on fire, and all the people mourning the loss until they realized….they were free. ‘I’m helping them’ he thinks to himself.

He then turns back to his anger. ‘Then those fucking bats got in my way!’

It had been a good night. A deli and a shopping center had both gone up. So what if a few people were inside? Mindless worker drones. Consumers just working to buy more and more stuff. He was doing them a favor by killing them, and if a few survived? Well he taught them a lesson.

It had been exhilarating. The suit covered his scars perfectly. He wasn’t afraid of people seeing them and not listening to what he was saying. And the mechanical wings? Worked like a charm. He was proud of that invention, the jet fueled wings threw him through the air after all. But he was more proud of the twin flamethrowers he’d rigged up on his arm gauntlets. Very proud of those! They could shoot a jet of flame out over thirty feet. It was a thing of beauty.

He’d been heading over to the school when a roar came from behind him. He’d turned and saw the dreaded batmobile, something he’d hoped to never actually have to see. Every criminal claimed to have fought the Batman at this point, and he knew it was mostly just rumors. “Bullshit” he’d called it. “The guy is just a guy. He can’t be everywhere at once”.

He was right, though he happened to be wrong on this night. He was at the right place at the right time.

Still, at the moment, the Batman’s arrival had presented him with an opportunity. ‘If I take them down...the system takes a hit!’.

So instead of running, he’d turned and blasted towards the black vehicle, shooting his flamethrowers out and expecting the car to turn into a blazing inferno. Instead, the thing kept right for him, and he had to swerve up into the air to avoid being hit. He should’ve flown off right then, but he hadn’t trying to circle back to find another way to get at the obviously well armored car.

The canopy opened, sliding back as the car slid and turned. He thought he’d get an opening, but before he could actually take advantage of it, a shape glided up into the night, propelled with a frightening force that seemed to mirror his own makeshift wings. 

A weight settled on his back, making him lower to the ground, though the thrust and his body fought the downward pull of gravity every second. “GET OFFA ME!” he had screamed, trying to ram up into the night. If he couldn’t burn Batman to cinder, he’d sure as hell make him a splat on the pavement.

It hadn’t worked, and the figure simply cut the fuel line of his pack, sending the combustible fluid spurting out into the cold night air. It caught somewhere along his gauntlets, setting him ablaze. He loved that feeling, but when he was careening through the air trying to fight a vigilante? It wasn’t the optimum time. 

Down they fell, skidding into the street while the flames licked at the man on his back. Garfield hadn’t known how hot the gauntlets would get, and the pain wasn’t something he was ready for. He couldn’t move, and the flames began to envelop more and more of his body. 

He thought he was going to die, and something about that possibility struck him as better than burning down Gotham city. Something possibly cathartic. A doctor had once told him, when he had confided in the man his desire to see Gotham burning, that he wished to destroy the city because in a way he saw it as reflecting himself.

“Garfield, you’ve spent your life trying to portray yourself as perfection despite the fact that some very deep psychological problems lay at your core. You don’t want to burn Gotham. You want to burn yourself, but you’re afraid that if you do that nobody else will understand…”.

The words made sense. Hell, they were probably true. But Garfield Lynns didn’t care about truth. Not Gotham city truth which usually wound up being less than and yet also more than than the truth at the same time. 

He just wanted to burn.

And right then, dying in the middle of that street? He was going to get what he wanted. He could feel it. That dark abyss closing in around him, swallowing him up and taking him to a place he’d never have to worry about being perfect, or flawed again. It was bliss.

It was taken from him in a second.

He had seen her through the flames that worked their way up around the mask. She was like a demon in his view, moving through the flames of hell to squash his one bit of happiness. She held the canister over her head and let it loose, sending the foam over his body to retard the flames. “No! NO! NOOOOO!” he’d screamed out, the cooling balm snuffing out the flames of his salvation. 

Batman was there next, a demon joining his mate in mocking him. Ohh he knew they were. The fake pity filled eyes on her and the brooding implacable gaze of the Batman. He’d raged up at them, reaching with fingers that were charred black and burnt to a crisp. He was surprised that he could even feel them. In any other man the nerves would’ve been destroyed, but Garfield was no normal man. Flames and fire? They were practically his domain.

If they were a woman, he’d marry her, and lose himself in the abyss of her raging all encompassing warmth as often as possible. But he couldn’t so instead, he’d just make sure everyone else got to feel her warm embrace.

The van goes over a pothole before jerking to the left, veering into an alleyway. He didn’t know why, but Garfield felt that something about th abrupt turn was off. “Hey...hey where are we going?” he calls out, knowing his way around Gotham. 

“Blackgate isn’t this way”.

Instead of the normal “shut up” he didn’t receive anything back, which began to worry him. This was Gotham after all, and who could say that it wasn’t easier to just kill an arsonist rather than have to house and feed him? He thought that maybe death was finally coming for him, and that thought frightened him a bit. He wasn’t afraid of dying, it was just more the fact that he wanted to burn to death.

‘Thanks again bats’.

The van suddenly jerks to a halt, and from the sounds of traffic and the lack of outside light he can see through the windows he could only assume that they were hidden away in an alley of some sort. He hears the front doors of the van open, and footsteps on the pavement before the back of the transport vehicle is opened as well, sending in a little bit of light aside from the interior bulbs. “Alright Lynns, get the fuck out”.

He listens to one of his guards and stands up, moving towards the exit and jumping down onto the asphalt. He didn’t say anything, not wanting any of his last words to be misconstrued. He wasn’t going to plead or beg. No. He’d go quietly.

One of the guards grabs him under the shoulder and roughly pulls him forward. “We ain’t got all night. Some of us have shit to do”.

‘Sorry if my execution is getting in the way of that’ the scared man thinks to himself before looking up and noticing that someone else was in the alley. A large man with pale white skin and long flowing hair of practically the same color. He had pinkish eyes, showcasing that he was an albino. He was also a large man, physically imposing but seemingly very out of shape. On either side of him stood two guards, each brandishing an AK47.

The guards brought Lynns right in front of the man and dropped him to his knees on the ground. Garfield still didn’t say anything, opting to continue looking down at the cement below him. “Ahh Mr. Lynns. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mandragora. You know who I am?”

Everyone did, and it didn’t need to be said. The criminal elite of Gotham city enjoyed a high level of public scrutiny to go with their near legal impunity. 

The man just frowns before turning and grabbing a bag from behind him, throwing it at the man’s feet. “Uncuff him” he orders the two officers as if they were on his payroll. Who was he kidding? Of course they were on his payroll. 

The two scurry forward and do as they were asked, allowing Garfield to massage his bruised wrists as soon as they were free of their metal bindings. “Open the bag” the man orders imperiously, and something about his voice urges the still silent arsonist on.

He reaches forward and unzips the fabric, exposing the hidden insides of the canvas bag to him. His mouth goes dry as he sees what is inside and he licks his lips in rapt attention of it, the world fading to nothingness around him.

He retracts his mask and holds it up for him to see in the limited light around him. “Ahh so you like your gift then….Firefly”.

The name fell off of his tongue easily, and Garfield found that he liked to be called that openly. “Now Firefly, consider this free” Mandragora goes on. “You see, I think you’re quite the artist. I really do. I love your work. Fear and paranoia, ohh it works wonders for me! In fact, you might be able to serve as a valuable part of my organization my boy” the man says as Garfield focuses on excitedly retracting every other piece of his uniform like a child on Christmas.

‘My gauntlets...my wings! Yes...yes! It’s all here!’.

Mandragora continues unabated and just decides to make a suggestion. He knew that it was unlikely the man would ever return from what he was about to be sent to do, and he did want to hurry this along. ‘It’s just a favor for Hill after all’ he says to himself, placing no capital on assisting the sitting mayor.

Instead, all that mattered to him was the fact that he had his suit back in his hands. Nothing else mattered whatsoever. Mandragora notices this, and with a smile he moves in for the kill.

“You know, a lot of people are going to be at the Wayne Civic Hall tonight to listen to Harvey Dent speak”. Garfield gives no sign of hearing the man and instead continues to fiddle with his gauntlets. “It would really be good for someone to show them the power of heat and fire”.

Those words hit the man and he stops moving to look up at the mob boss who was obviously behind his freedom and the return of his items. Why he couldn’t tell, and at that moment he wasn’t sure if he really even cared. Right now? He had the opportunity to spread his own religion. The religion of flame.

He smiles, a nasty destroyed visage of his up at the man who knows that his plan had worked.

‘I guess we’re not all that different after all dad’.

**_Wayne Civic Hall_ **

“Jason?”

“Yeah?” the boy asks the girl who had been tugging at his sleeve. “When we get home will you play cowboys and indians with me?” Barbara asks, confusing the boy. “Cowboys and Indians...Barbara you’re a girl”.

“So?” the little girl says back.

“Isn’t that more for boys?” he asks, not knowing where half of whatever Barbara happened to come out with came from and deciding to not question it as doing so always brought eighty more answers to eighty questions he hadn’t asked.

She crosses her arms and huffs. “Fine then we wont play”.

Now he felt bad and hated that she could make him feel that way. He reaches out and rubs her arm. “How do you want to play?” he asks curiously, pretending that she wasn’t angry at him. “Do you want to be the cowboy or Indian?”

She lets out a “hmmph” and doesn’t say any more to him. He frowns and redoubles his efforts, annoying her in the same way that she often inadvertently annoyed him. “You can be the Indians. You and Mr. Huffy” he explains, causing Barbara to give him a sideways glance, letting him know that he was slowly winning. “We can build a fort out of pillows and you and Mr. Huffy can surround it” he says.

“.....can we have horses?” she asks a little quietly. 

Jason smiles and nods, holding her hand as he sat down in the seat next to her. “Of course. You’re the Indians” he says which makes Barbara smile ear to ear and increase her hold on the boy’s hand. Harleen had watched the entire thing and couldn’t help but snap a quick picture with her phone as she sat beside Jason. 

‘Yup, this one’s going on a christmas card’ she says to herself as she replaces the phone in her purse. She was waiting with the kids, seated in the front row as they got ready to show support for Harvey. She’d worn a simple dress while also semi-formally dressing Barbara and Jason. She couldn’t believe she was in a position in her life where there was more to getting dressed than a labcoat and a blouse. At home she usually wore sweat pants or jeans, but now? She needed a whole new wardrobe for the myriad of different events she was a part of as Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend.

“Excuse me, ohh! Sorry Mr. Richardson!”

She hears the voice and smiles to herself at how easy it was for Bruce to play the part of the ditzy playboy, and she looks up to see the man in a suit, making his way towards them. “Bruce!” Barbara says, waving her hand happily to show him where they were, though he undoubtedly already knew. “Coming Barbara...coming!” he says, finally making it and plopping down beside the empty seat next to the little girl. He leans down and kisses her forehead lovingly. “Hello princess” he says and then moves over to ruffle Jason’s hair. “Hey bud”. Both smiled up at the man and eagerly chatted with him, though as usual Barbara did most of the chatting. 

He listens and nods along, being brought up to speed on the kid’s plans to play cowboys and Indians when they got home. “Ahh...can me and Harleen play too?” he asks with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk. 

“YESS! That would be so fun!” Barbara says, shouting out and jumping up and down in the seat. Others might be embarrassed of the childish outburst and work to silence it, but Bruce was a softie when it came to the kids and he doesn’t say anything. Instead he puts his hand on Barbara’s shoulder, calming her a bit.

He smiles across at the blonde woman and winks. “We can get some ice cream too on the way and reenact Custard’s Last Stand” he says, knowing it would get the woman to laugh. And Harleen doesn’t disappoint. She practically snorts out at the horrible pun, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she stifles her laughter. Barbara and Jason begin to snicker too, the blonde’s antics having quite the effect on them. 

Bruce gives Barbara a high five and whispers, “works every time” as the emcee moves out onto the stage to announce Harvey’s entrance. She wanted to focus, she really did, but all she could look at instead was Jason and Barbara and Bruce. She felt….strange.

She wouldn’t lie. She already loves these two like they were own. She knew that many others in her profession would see that as a unhealthy attachment developed too quickly. Hell, if she wasn’t so biased she’d have to say the same thing. But she was biased.    
  
She’d had them for little over a month and a half and in that time she’d watched movies with them, made them breakfast, cuddled with them and kissed their injuries. She was the one Jason went to when he was upset, and she was the one that Barbara came to when Mr. Huffy had a tear in his arm. How could she not start to see them as hers?

‘Some animals take in babies that aren’t their own’ she reminds herself before shrugging. ‘Mostly after they give birth to their own but...still...Barbara and Jason are my cubs? Calves? Pups? No, no, stop thinking in animal metaphors’ she reminds herself before smiling down at Jason and running her fingers through his hair. He looks up at her curiously and asks, “what?”

She just keeps going, smiling down at him before kissing his forehead, making the boy blush. “Nothing sweetie. Nothing”.

It wasn’t nothing but she couldn’t exactly articulate her feelings to the kids. For one she didn’t want to scare them, and two she didn’t know if she’d have the words to use if she could. She was resolved to let it grow though, and she knew it would eventually come to a point where they understood that she loved them very much.

She realizes that Harvey has begun to speak and gives a little smile and wave as Pamela stood up there beside her boyfriend. She had a lot to be happy for and it was thanks to Bruce in a lot of ways. She turns to look at the man only to find him looking at her already. The two give a little start in their eyes, not having expected to be found out. Neither turn from the other though, and instead just continue to smile.. 

“And that’s why we’re here today…”, Harvey’s voice breaks through her thoughts and she turns back to the stage at her friend. “I want a better Gotham for tomorrow. For the next generation. We have to leave something behind. That means sacrificing something today….”.

The man’s speech is interrupted by the inward explosion of the rear doors. They burst out and land in the audience, undoubtedly hurting a few as the entire crowd screams in horror. Bruce and Harley are instantly on their feet, Barbara and Jason being cradled into the woman by her firm arms. Bruce looks back and tries to get a visual on who was attacking the hall, just like everyone else. A figure steps through the left over smoke of the explosion, a few other shadows joining him on either side, their rifles already aimed. Bruce recognizes him instantly and scowls. 

“Firefly” he seethes. 

Up on stage Harvey has moved near Pamela, using his arm to keep her and his other staffers behind him. It was an act that didn’t go unnoticed by Pamela. “Pam..get as many people as you can out the back way. I’ll…”.

“I’m staying Harvey” she whispers back fiercely, knowing that whatever this was would need her assistance to end. “Pamela, this is…”.

“I know” she interrupts, turning towards one of the other aides. “Get the team out of here and call the police, though they’re probably already on their way here….maybe” she says. The blonde woman nods her head and turns to a few other staffers, leading them out of the back. It was clear that Firefly was focused on Harvey, but the threat of harm to all the others in the audience was too much to risk. 

“Well, well, well….” Garfield begins, walking down the aisle, his torches already lit and emanating a menacing flame. He shakes his head. “I...uhh...I don’t like that. Too cliche...too villainy...didn’t want that...want something better…” he mumbles to himself, the ski masked goons beside him looking at each other in something akin to disbelief. 

Bruce turns to Harley, both of them knowing what had to be done. “There’s a side exit” he whispers, watching as the three pass their row, two more gunmen entering from the rear to give further coverage of the crowd. They had one shot. 

“Harley...I need…”

“I’ll get our babies and a few others out of here Bruce” she says, being one step ahead of him already as her eyes land on the aforementioned side door. She holds the kids closer, feeling that familiar churning of her stomach she sometimes got when she was Batwoman. The difference was that now she had to focus on the safety of the kids. She was worried. Beyond worried.

Bruce looks down at the two and smiles, giving a wink to assure them as they peak out at him through Harley’s arms. “It’ll be okay. You two listen to Harleen and listen closely”.

“Alright….now” he whispers, slowly moving down the row and urging others to follow Harley, who makes a beeline for the door, practically carrying the children as the other donors follow her. A guard seems to get a bead on what’s happening, and turns his rifle to try and block any escapees, but he’s met with a fist that crashes right into his face before another hand grasps the barrel of his rifle and tears it away.

The rifle is discarded, but not before a burst of fire is shot into the ceiling, sending some plaster flying downwards. This prompts the crowd into even greater panic, a panic which Bruce is able to use to his advantage. The guards are overwhelmed, and before the second one can even get a shot off, he is also taken down by Bruce. The other two, having been frightened by the sheer ferocity of the crowd swarming around them, try to fall back. Some men however, have been inspired by Bruce’s attack and go on the offensive. One or two is hit by the ensuing firing of the automatic weapons, but due to the close proximity to the crowd, and their inability to get a good bead on a target, the shots are ineffective.

Firefly was escaping any of the threat implied by the crowd. He wasn’t interested in them. Not yet. His major target was standing right in front of him, defiantly facing him down. He lets lose with his arm torches, setting two of the rows in front on fire. 

He watches as the green skinned woman flinches in fear, but she remains close to the man who doesn’t even move. “You Harvey Dent?”

“Who wants to know?”

“Firefly…” Garfield seethes out, connecting more with that name than his own anyways. The building had now caught on fire, something that was slowing sending the scarred man into an orgasmic bliss. The sounds of screams and the smoke filling the air...it was delightful.

“What do you want?” Harvey asks, his fists tightening in anger. He was desperately fighting to keep control.

“You” he says. “You’re giving this city hope. That’s something I can’t allow” Firefly begins. “You see, if they have hope, they might think that this can all be fixed. It can. It has to be burned to the ground. We need to start anew”.

“Who put you up to this?” Harvey asks in a rage.

“A nice man broke me out. That’s all you need to do. Now….buuuurn!” Firefly screams, bringing up one of his torches and letting lose a burst of flame. “Pamela get down!” Harvey screams, turning and just managing to push his girlfriend to the floor, covering her body with his. The jet of flame passes right over them, catching on some of the curtains behind them.

“Ohhh..chivalry! How quaint” Firefly shouts, igniting his jet pack and bursting into the air. “Knights and vikings! Let’s play that. You try and protect and I’ll pillage and burn!”.

Another burst of flame jets out, surrounding them as the stage catches. 

Pamela was coughing, her breath being severely cut off. She grabs her throat, gasping as the flames rise higher and higher around them. She’s on her knees, fighting while Harvey looks around at the walls boxing them in. Firefly laughs maniacally and flies off higher into the rafters, spreading the flame around and about as much as he could. It was clear that he was losing focus, having been there for the mayoral candidate first and foremost. Apparently, he’d forgotten his objective. 

“Pam...Pam sweetie…” Harvey asks, coughing himself. “What’s wrong?”

She turns to him, her skin taking on a pale color. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and it all suddenly clicked for him. ‘Ohh no...no moisture, less oxygen’ he thinks, remembering how she’d confided in him the facts of her changed biology. 

He looks around, not seeing an easy way out for him or her except through the flames. “Ohh god” he says to himself, starting to panic. It’s then that a voice he hadn’t expected to hear, especially not in the way it spoke. “Save her you fucking piece of trash!” big bad Harv shouts in his mind, shocking him. He turns and knows that this is going to hurt, but he needed to protect her first and foremost. He removes his jacket and wraps it around her, wanting to add at least one quick easily removable layer between her and the flames. 

She was too busy coughing to worry or question was was going on. “I’m going to get you out of this Pamela” he says, picking her up and cradling her body as close to his chest as possible, wanting to use his own form to keep her safe. He stands, grimacing at the flames and how high they’d grown at this point, but big bad Harv was still there, goading him on. “Get her the fuck out of here!!”

He looks down and presses one kiss to her forehead, not knowing if he’d have the chance to again. “I...I love you Pam” he says between coughs, before steeling himself and moving forward. The flames envelop him quickly and the pain was almost more than he could bare. But a force keeps him going, one he would never really be able to explain. 

The flames lick at his face and hands, the one exposed parts of his body, and it feels as if he’s being cooked. He cries out in pain, knowing that his clothes would burst as well soon if he didn’t get out. He gets out of the major wall of flame, not attracting the attention of the gleeful Firefly who was still circling up above. 

The pain...the pain was still there and he knew that some part of him was on fire. ‘Get out of the building...fire...fighters outside’.

He sees the open door, following where the smoke was escaping from and rushes forward, trying to block everything out but getting Pamela to safety. The heat...it was still there, all around him. He didn’t know if he’d make it and if his feet moving was anything more than a useless endeavour. But soon, very soon, he bursts into cool night air, and the sound of voices and movement all around him meet his ears. 

“Ohh god..Mr. Dent!”

He didn’t know who shouted it out, but he does move to place Pamela down, comforted by her harsh and large intake of breath. He couldn’t see anything though, and the pain...the pain was still there. He screams out because of it, clawing at his face to try and stop it. All he saw was flame! The licking children of Hephaestus over his skin. 

“Ohh god! Help me!”

He now felt the itch of self preservation, though Harv was still there to whisper in his mind, ‘fair trade if you die and she lives scumbag’. 

He feels something wrap around him, and the flames are slowly smothered as fire fighters wrap him up in a blanket, suffocating the flames. The man still screams out, half of his face having been seared in the inferno. “Give him something! Ohh god..his face!” 

A paramedic rushes up with a quick shot of morphine, administered to help the pain. The shock, the medicine, and the whole ordeal just sends the man into unconsciousness as his body tries to make sense of everything that just happened. Still, he gets one last look at Pamela, who was being tended to by a paramedic as she slowly gets to her knees, coughing, and slightly singed, but still breathing. He smiles, content even in the pain.

‘You did alright asshole. You did alright’.

**_Back Inside_ **

“OHHH YEAAAH!” Garfield shouts out, rolling in the air. “This is the shit!”.

He didn’t realize that the mayor had gotten away. He didn’t care either. The people would come last. He realized quickly enough that he had to burn down every building before leaving the rats out in the open where they’d have nowhere to hide from his righteous flames.

He was in heaven, and his work was just getting started.

His closeness to Nirvana doesn’t last though, and something darts up at him, severing one of the lines linking the stowage of fuel to one of his arm mounted torches. Whatever it was imbedded itself into his arm.

“AHHH! Motherfucker!” he shouts out, turning this way and that as he already knows who it is. He brings up his one remaining torch, scouring the area for where the vigilante could be hiding. “Come on out Batman!” he shouts over the roar of the flame. “Fried bat sounds delicious right about now!” 

The taunts have no affect, but he does see the man. He moves his torch up, wanting to get a bead on him before he moves. “Ohh yeah! Rematch time! Hey...where’s the whore?”

He didn’t see Batwoman, and that was something that was uniquely worrying to him. “You’ll wish she was here soon enough” Batman growls out, worrying Garfield with the intensity of his voice. “Whatever bats. Its time to put you down!”

The two charge at each other, Firefly using his jetpack and Batman just lunging forward, using his batclaw to keep a bead on one of the overhanging pillars. His fist was already pulled back, ready to deliver one hell of a punch.

‘You’re right’ Bruce thinks, gritting his teeth in a rage. ‘It’s time’.

**_Back Outside_ **

Harleen sat on the edge of the ambulance, Jason and Barbara on either side of her as she wraps a blanket around them. Barbara was crying heavily, and that hurt her very much. But what hurt even more was to see Jason crying, the normally stoic little boy losing it at the thought of Bruce getting hurt. 

“Harleen..where...where is Bruce?” Barbara cries out, Jason not even being able to form words. She wanted to cry too, but she keeps it together, trusting not only in Bruce but also the Batman. “Ohh sweeties, Bruce is fine. Trust me. He’ll be right here soon. He’s probably just separated from us right now but he’ll be right here soon enough I promise”.

Everyone had seen the Batman grapple up into the burning building through a second story window. Only three people knew who he really was. She turns to Jason and leans down, burying her face in his hair and kissing him. “Sweetie..sweetie..don’t cry please. If you two keep cryin’, I’m gonna start cryin’” she says, looking over at the barely restrained and sobbing Ivy.

“Harvey! Harvey! Is he okay? Tell me if he’s okay!”

She was coughing fiercely, the paramedics fighting against the writhing woman to keep her down on the gurney as they try to keep the oxygen mask on her. The district attorney had been loaded up on his own gurney and loaded in the back of an ambulance, right in front of Pamela’s eyes, and she was powerless to do anything about it. 

She wanted to comfort her friend, but she knew that she had bigger responsibilities at that moment, and Harvey was going to be okay. She saw the burns of course, but he would survive. ‘And we’ll be there to help him after. Pamela too’.

The woman’s sobs echo out, and she knew where they were coming from. “Harvey! Harvey I love you! Harvey!” she screams out before descending into more coughing just before the ambulance door close on Harvey. Pamela just begins to sob, and Harleen has to guess at how hard it had been for her to open up like that.

“Are you guys okay?”

The voice had been a distraction and the three look up to see officer Renee Montoya standing above them, a smile on her face while she moves to her knees. “Yes officer” Harleen says, hugging the children close. Renee notices instantly, and smiles at just how protective the blonde was of the children. “We’re just...worried about Bruce” she says out, trying to keep from inadvertently giving anything away.

“Ohh? Well, I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. Everyone got out thanks to him and well...Batman” she says, casting a glance over her shoulder at the hall. “We’re fighting the fire but it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to save the building. Shame but the Wayne’s always rebuild” she says happily, somehow calming down the crying children. “You should know that about your pops or...well...I guess still just Bruce to you” she chuckles, not sure of how far they’d advanced in that regard. Only a few visits to Wayne manor had shown her that the family was perfectly fine. Loud, rambunctious and unorthodox in a few ways, but more than good for the two kids.

“I...I want Bruce” Barbara sniffles out. Jason reaches over to take her hand while maintaining his own grip on Harley’s. “Bruce is coming over soon sweetie”.

Harleen reaches down and kisses the little girl’s head again. “Listen to officer Montoya sweetie. She knows what she’s talking about”.

“Actually..it’s uhh..Lieutenant Montoya now” she says with a shrug. Harley was happy for the change of subject, and she smiles wider and wider. “Ohh? I’m assuming this promotion is because of those pictures of Loeb...well...you know” she says, gesturing to the presence of the two children who look at each other for an answer as to what the two women were talking about. 

Neither had a clue, and wouldn’t for many years to come. 

“Yup. He’s on an ‘extended leave” Montoya chuckles. “Well, you might be commissioner Montoya soon enough” Harleen teases. “Let’s stick to Lieutenant for now. But...Ms. Quinzel, if it’s okay, I’d like to ask some quest…”.

Just before her final word gets out, the building gives out an ominous sounding creak, as the beams melt and the walls begin to crush inward. Montoya is instantly on her feet, shouting for everyone to get back just in case it happened to fall forward. “NOOOO!” Barbara screams out, her hands reaching out for Harleen as she sobs into her shoulder. Harley’s herself opens her mouth in shock and she has to fight to keep her own words of horror down. ‘Bruce! Ohh god Bruce!’.

Her worry, doesn’t last long.

One of the windows burst open, and some may have assumed it was due to backdraft at first. However, the black shape that bursts through it, cape splayed out behind him as he uses it to soar down to ground level with help from his batclaw. He lands, a little awkwardly as he had a figure slumped over his shoulders, on the pavement before some astonished police officers. 

He drops the incapacitated Firefly on the ground in front of him, and is instantly greeted by the sight of multiple cops with their guns drawn. He scowls at them, his eyes turning into slits. “Put your guns down! Stop! Fucking put them down!” Montoya rages, moving away from the ecstatic family who fight to hide their elation and remain gloomy. Barbara was still crying, though this time for much different reasons. “Shh...sweeties. Ohh my sweeties. We love you two so much” she says aloud, wanting to comfort them while turning to smother both of their heads in kisses. “You see? He’ll always come back to you. Why?” she asks in a whisper.

“Because he’s Batman” Jason supplies out, little heaves of his chest showing how happy he was as well. 

Montoya doesn’t hear any of this however, and she simply moves towards her officers, forcing them to put their weapons away. Batman seems thankful and he nods at her. “Hello Lieutenant”.

“Batman” she says, at somewhat of an impasse at what to do. The orders were to bring the man in if they had a chance. Well...they had a chance. ‘Those were Loeb’s orders. Not mine’.

The vigilante doesn’t say any more, and just looks at the prone form of Firefly. “Surprised you didn’t kill him” Montoya says, not being surprised at all. “Considering what he did to Harvey Dent? Not a single soul in this city would’ve blamed you”.

“That’s not how I do things”.

“Hmm…” she hums out, being greatly comforted by his answer. “Richardson, Bullock?” she calls over her shoulder. “Take Mr. Lynns here into custody” she orders. The two officers move forward and Batman can’t help but glare at Bullock who just turns away from him in either shame or fear. He doubted that it was fear. He knew that Bullock had apparently begun to feel something akin to regret and had been trying to be a better cop. It might’ve had to do with Gordon’s death. Might not have. He didn’t care. 

‘He’ll be given a chance’ he mentally says to himself before turning to walk away. “Wait!” Montoya says, moving forward. For a moment, Bruce thinks she’s going to try and arrest him, and he prepares himself for a fight. He turns his head and notices that she hasn’t assumed a fighting posture.

“I want to speak with you again” she says openly. “We need your help”.

This was it. An in, a certifiable in, into the GCPD. He knew there was risks, but he weighed them and soon came to the conclusion that they were light enough to justify extending an olive branch. “Next tuesday. On the roof of GCPD” he says, loud enough that only Montoya could hear.

“I’ll be there. Bet on it” Renee says, not sure of what she would even ask the man, but she knew that she had to discuss things with the vigilante duo ‘Speaking of...where is Batwoman?’

The Batman grapples up onto a nearby building and disappears into the darkness, though Harley knows exactly where he’s going. “Seee? Told ya” she teases her two children, tickling them a bit. Each laugh and giggle, lighting up now that they thought the danger had passed.

Bruce takes twenty minutes to get back to his car, change, and make his entrance back in, but when he turns the corner to see Harleen and the kids, the two little figures rocket out of the blonde’s arms and into the man, Barbara instantly wanting to be picked up as Jason hugs his side. “Bruce!” she says excitedly, crying out all over again. The others don’t notice, being too busy fighting the remnants of the fire or with getting Firefly ready for transport.

They had a lot of questions to answer concerning how the villain was able to escape so easily, but they’d figure it out soon. Harleen walks up to the man and kisses him fiercely, grabbing his tie to keep him there. He returns the kiss, though Barbara blushes and looks away. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again Bruce” she whispers against his lips.

“I don’t think I can make that promise” he admits honestly, a sheepish smile on his face. Harleen chuckles and moves to take Jason’s hand. “I just want us to go home right now” she says tiredly. “Let Montoya come some other time and ask us questions. Let’s just...slip away for now”.

“Agreed” Bruce says, rubbing Barbara’s back. “We have to get to the hospital..I...Harvey…”.

“Is uncle Harvey and aunt Pam okay?” 

Barbara was once again worried, and both of her caregivers were starting to hate the toll that their alternate lives had already taken on the children. “He will be sweetie. We’re going to make sure they’re both okay alright? But neither of them were severely hurt. They’ll be fine” Bruce says, walking his family towards their car. 

‘God I hope I’m not lying’.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Gotham City General Hospital_ **

The monitors were rhythmic and calming, though not much else was at the time. Not for Bruce, or Harley, Jason or Barbara and most certainly not calming for Harvey, who lay in the bed, trying to remain still.

Everything hurt. At least his face most certainly did. Luckily the flames were retarded by his suit, which took the brunt of the damage. His body was unscarred...mostly. The left side of his face and his hand had been burnt and the doctors had tried everything they could to salvage the skin but...he was exposed to the flames for too long. It would take years of corrective surgery to try and cover up the damage, and even then it would be impossible to hide completely.

His life had changed.

“Do you need anything Harvey?”

The man turns to Harleen before stopping mid movement and grimacing. He didn’t like exposing his left side to her, or really anyone, and had asked them to remain on the right side of the room. He gives her a side smile, but there was no heart in it.

“No thank you Harleen”.

His voice was a gruff whisper still, the lack of air having done a number on his lungs. It was getting better slowly, but his voice was the least of his worries. “Harvey...I know this is all tough…” Bruce begins, moving his chair a bit closer to the bed. “Tough? With all due respect Bruce...you have no idea how tough this is”.

He sits up a bit and turns his head slowly, watching the two people who were his best friends turn away for a moment. “This is what I look like now. Everything is done. Everything. Lynns took it all”.

“That’s not true Harvey…”

Bruce is cut off by the man’s rage. “Don’t tell me what is or isn’t true!” he seethes, silencing the billionaire. Harvey realizes that he had shouted down one of his best friends, and now it was his turn to look away in shame. “I’m...I’m sorry Bruce. Harleen. I….”

Harleen moves forward and scoots her own chair across the floor before placing her hand atop Harvey’s. “Don’t apologize Harvey. We’re here for you. We know it’s going to be hard for you, and if you need to yell at someone it’s alright if it’s us”.

He smiles at the blonde, a genuine one as her presence and words seem to be a soothing balm to his anger. “I’m...very grateful for the both of you. I...I can’t put it into words”.

“You don’t need to Harv” Bruce says. The man shrugs and smiles in that typical Bruce Wayne way. “I’ll just save it up for a favor one day”.

Despite himself, Harvey couldn’t help but laugh. It didn’t hurt to laugh for him, and it felt good so he let one loose. “Well...like I said, Bruce Wayne gets no sway over city hall for dumping all that money into my campaign. But...I don’t think it matters anymore”.

He knew that his mayoral run was most likely over. The whole city had seen his disfigured face courtesy of Jack Ryder, who posed as a nurse to sneak into the hospital and snap a picture. The next day it was all over the news, with super pacs supporting Hamilton Hill running it all across the city.

The staff had turned the television off after that, and Bruce and Harleen had similarly kept them in the dark. He was left to assume the worst.

His melancholy mood wasn’t shared by the couple in the room though, who just turned and smile at each other before nodding. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that Harvey” Harleen teases. “In fact...I’d say this thing is over, you’re right...but not the way you think it is”.

“Should we show him Harley?” Bruce teases.

“Well I think we should puddin’!”

“What are you two talking about?” Harvey asks confusedly while Harleen gets up with her phone and unlocks it. She leans against the bed, letting him have a view of the screen. “We wanted to save this until you got out of the hospital, buttttt...you need a treat to give you a little boost. So here it is. What the city thinks about Harvey Dent!”.

He watches as a video is pulled up on the screen and is shocked by the news report that opens up with the anchorwoman Vikki Vale. “What…”

“Shhh” Harley interrupts. “Watch”.

He turns his eyes towards Bruce who just crosses his arms and smirks, gesturing for the man to listen to Harleen. Harvey wasn’t much in the mood for games but he’d play along.

“Vikki Vale here, reporting from Downtown Gotham. It was one month ago that Wayne Hall was burned to the ground by the arsonist known as Firefly. It was one month ago that Batman apprehended him. It was one month ago that Bruce Wayne threw himself at two gunmen and saved the day”. Harleen casts a smile over her shoulders at the man who blushes and looks away, not enjoying the limelight in or out of the cowl.

“But there was another hero that day…” the female reporter continues. “One who has captured the imaginations and hopes of Gotham city, in a way that rivals even the Batman. That’s right Gotham. We’re here to talk about Mayoral Candidate Harvey Dent”.

The camera pans away back to the studio, showcasing some grainy footage of the attack caught on security camera while Vale continues to speak. “Harvey Dent kept Firefly, a.k.a Garfield Lynns, distracted, alongside his girlfriend Pamela Isley, also known as Poison Ivy, the Vreeland Park vigilante who saved a woman and her son from a band of thugs”.

“Bruce...what does all of this mea…”

“Keep watching” the billionaire urges. 

“Mr. Dent was able to buy the rest of the audience time, before rushing to save his girlfriend” she goes on. “Ms. Isley, due to her differing biology, was affected much more by the flames than one of us might be. She was going into a form of cardiac arrest. But...Mr. Dent saved her by wrapping her up in his coat and arms, and rushing through the wall of flame. It was only a few seconds, but in that time, his flesh was seared and he suffered major scarring and third degree burns to his face and hands. Luckily, GCPD fire fighters were right outside. He was rushed to the hospital as well as Ms. Isley. Due to his heroism, Ms. Isley didn’t suffer a single injury”.

The report goes on but Harvey feels his mind slip away, focusing on the green skinned woman who had come to mean so much to him. He knew, or at least thought, that it was over. He hadn’t seen her in a month. Not since it happened.

‘I can’t blame her’.

He honestly believed it. He couldn’t blame her. With all the pain and skin grafts and treatments he was going through, he knew that he would never be able to be a good man for her. ‘You’re in constant pain, you have an angry imaginary friend. You’re a fuckup Harvey’.

The newscast goes on, and he’s pulled back by the sound of street traffic. “We took to the streets to get public opinion”.

The reporter stops a random passerby first, an older woman with a shopping bag. “Hello ma’am. Just wanted to ask, what’s your opinion on Harvey Dent?”

The woman was a typical gothamite at first. Surly and not wanting to be disturbed. She looked at the woman and then the camera. “Is this going on the tv?”

“Yes, you’re live right now” Vale explains.

The woman smiles, ear to ear and nods. “Good. Tell Harvey Dent he has my vote and that he’s going to kick that piece of trash Hill out of city hall”.

It pans away to another woman, though this time much younger. “It was awesome what he did! It was...heh...well, it was really romantic too! Who says chivalry is dead?”

“The guys a hero. Wasn’t sure about him before but he ain’t no random politician. He cares apparently. Even if he makes a crappy mayor, I’d vote for him again and again. Better someone who cares and isn’t great at their job than that piece of…”

The camera abruptly cuts away from the man and onto someone else, preempting his bad language. It goes on and on with most of Gotham voicing support for the man. It hit Harvey in a way he didn’t expect, and he remained glued to the screen. 

“Mr. Dent’s lead over Mayor Hill has widened significantly over the past few weeks, especially following the leaking of pictures of him in the hospital. This act was linked to the Hill campaign and wound up attracting voters to Mr. Dent and repelling them from Hill. There is also the criminal investigation in Mayor Hill’s dealings at Arkham, alongside two other prominent Gotham figures Warden Quincy Sharpe of Arkham Asylum, and Commissioner Gillian Loeb, who has been placed on leave pending the completion of criminal investigations into accusations of racketeering and bribery”.

Harleen turns off the phone and looks at Harvey, a huge smile on her face. “See Harv? We only love you more”.

She leans in and hugs him, pressing her cheek to his while gently putting her arms around his shoulders. He moves lightly to wrap an arm around her. He wanted to cry, and he couldn’t contain it as a few tears leak out at the gentle contact. “Thank you”.

“Anytime Harvey”.

She backs away and sits down in her seat next to Bruce, and Harvey moves up a bit in the bed, wanting to sit up even more now. “How’s...how’s Pam?”

The question sets the other two quiet, and he can read the writing on the wall. He smiles sadly to himself. “She’s fine Harv. Just watching the kids for us right now” Bruce says. 

“Ahh..”.

The room goes quiet. “Harleen?” he asks. “Yes Harvey?”

“Can you tell her something for me?”

“Anything Harvey” the woman says, reaching out to take his hand. He smiles and squeezes it. “Can you just tell her...I don’t blame her”.

“Don’t blame her for what sweetie?”

“I don’t blame her for not wanting to come see me...for...well...wanting to end things between us” he explains. Harleen’s eyes go wide and she shakes her head in denial. “Harvey, that’s not what’s going on at all…”

“Harleen...don’t lie” he says in a defeated tone. “People may want to vote for me and they may be okay with having a….hehe...two faced mayor, but...Pamela shouldn’t have to be content with waking up next to a half burnt man. I don’t want her looking at my ugly face and having to see pity in her eyes. I don’t want her to feel obligated to be with me still”.

Harleen felt the sadness and hurt well up within her. It was true. Pamela had been incredibly quiet since the event, and she didn’t want to talk. She hadn’t visited the hospital or called. Any mention of Harvey sent her into a hysterical fit of crying. 

“Can you tell her something else?”

“Harvey...she’ll come soon…”

“Please?”

There was something in the way that it was asked that she just couldn’t turn down and she nods, wishing beyond wishing that things were different. 

“Can you tell her that I love her? I never got to say it face to face...hahaha…” he says before chuckling at the pun in his words. “Tell her that she was that one special woman to me. That one woman that every man has in his life. I didn’t get to keep her, but I got to have her for the time I did and that makes it all worth it”.

He leans back against the pillow and nods, a slight smile tugging the corner of his lips. “I would run through a thousand fires for her”.

The words settle uneasily on the two, and Harleen wants to reach out and make it better somehow...but she can’t. “We’ll tell her Harv” Bruce interjects, never having been good at emotional comfort. “We’ll tell her”.

“Thank you...also...tell your kids that I’m alright and looking forward to seeing them again”.

“We’ll tell them that their uncle Harvey misses them” Harleen teases with a wink. Barbara and Jason had been to the hospital a few times, and despite initial fears that they’d be afraid of Harvey, the exact opposite had happened. Barbara looked at his face once, and when it appeared she’d turn away or cry out, she did something everyone should’ve expected. She sat on the bed, looked at Harvey, and launched into a one sided conversation about what she wanted to get everyone for Christmas. Jason just stood there beside the bed, listening and adding to Barbara’s words when she asked him, but otherwise, he was similarly unaffected by Harvey’s burns. At the end of their first meeting since the fire, the little girl kissed his cheek before leaving. “Bye uncle Harvey! See you soon! We love you!”.

After they left...he didn’t hold back those tears. 

Harleen stands up and Bruce begins to help her with her coat, the weather having taken a turn into winter. This one in Gotham was going to be beyond frigid. 

“We’ll be back tomorrow morning or afternoon Harvey. I have off so you’ll get the two of us again” the blonde says.

“Ahh don’t…”

“Nope. We’ll be back” she cuts him off, kissing his forehead. “Do you need or want us to bring anything for you?” Bruce asks. “No Bruce. I’m okay. They’re only keeping me for one or two more days anyway”.

“Well, do you want to stay with us for a little while after you get out cutie?” Harleen asks, not even bothering to confer with Bruce in the home that technically was not hers. The billionaire didn’t care though, as he didn’t see it that way. The house was hers as well in his mind now. ‘She’s earned it’ he reminisces, seeing Harley in her bat suit. 

“Thanks but, I have to be a bit independent after all” he says before smiling off into the distance. “I might be moving into the mayoral mansion after all”.

“That’s the spirit Harv” Bruce says, patting the man’s shoulder.

“Thank you...both of you. Without you two, I don’t think I would’ve made it through this” he explains. Bruce and Harleen both wave him off. “Yes you would’ve. You’re Harvey Dent. Now...we really got to get home and make sure Jason and Barbara haven’t destroyed the place”.

“Haha”

“Bye Harvey” Bruce says, leading Harleen out of the door of the hospital room, each of them waving to one another. When the two leave, Harvey can’t shake the sense of dejavu he had at watching them. ‘Hmm...they remind me of some...ohhh’.

He couldn’t help but smile. His memories of the two were vague, having only been a child when he saw them. They were always so nice to him, and wanted him to come over and play with their son all the time. 

He lays back in the bed and smiles, going over the childhood memories of fun and friendship. He knew who Bruce and Harleen reminded him of and it filled him with great joy to think on it. 

‘Thomas and Martha Wayne’.

**_GCPD Rooftop_ **

She stood there near the ledge, looking out over the apartment buildings and brick that surrounded the precinct. It wasn’t much of a view, but it was a typically Gotham one. Renee shivered and pulled the coat tightly around her, bringing her hands up to breathe into them and warm them up.

“It’s going to snow soon” she says to herself.

“It is that time of year”.

The voice from behind her had interrupted her thoughts, though it had begun to frighten her less than it initially did when these clandestine meetings started. “Batman” she says in way of greeting. “Lieutenant Montoya”.

He steps out of the shadows and moves forward, the light of the full moon illuminating him. “Though I hear commissioner is what I might be calling you soon”.

She rolls her eyes and smirks. “Maybe. Apparently, not too many people want the job. Especially with Loeb on his way out”.

“Doesn’t surprise me” he says, moving towards the ledge. “Those pictures were very...illuminating” he says in a reserved tone. Renee just laughs. “More than illuminating. Damn near the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to him. How do you come back from having pictures of you, naked as the day you were born, having an escort ride you like a horse?”

Bruce couldn’t help his smirk, but he doesn’t let her see it. He just nods and lets out a sound of acknowledgement. “No Batwoman tonight?” Montoya asks, moving on. “No. She has other priorities at the moment” he says, thinking on how Harleen had wanted to speak with Pamela in private. 

“Ahh…”

“Afraid you’ll have to wait until another time to ogle her”.

“I was not ogling her” she says in embarrassment, blushing a bit. “Uhhm”.

“Pfft...what is she to you anyway? You two seem pretty close” Montoya teases, wanting to turn it around on the caped crusader. “That’s privileged information” Batman retorts. “Ahh, so she’s on the market then huh? Maybe I will ogle her. I have a shot”.

Batman turns and regards her with a serious look, possessiveness creeping into his voice. “Not a chance”.

The two go silent, a smirk on her face that falls when Batman gets right to business. “Why did you call me here tonight Lieutenant?” he asks. “Right, right...well...the department and the media apparently” she says scornfully, not enjoying how much the press interfered in police work in Gotham, “has been getting tips. Information we never had access to before. “Things on Loeb, Hill, Sharpe and numerous other people in Gotham. They used to be perfect at covering their tracks and now? They can’t take a leak without their picture being published in the paper. Everyone else in the department thinks that’s great…” she trails off.

“But you have your reservations” Batman supplies.

“Yeah...it’s odd. Blackout for years and then...boom, everything handed to us on a silver platter. It doesn’t make sense. It’s like something has changed with Gotham itself” she says.

Batman is silent, looking out into the night. He knew what it was, or had an inkling of what it had to be. He hadn’t fought with the Court of Owls in months. Not since the dockyard. It wasn’t from lack of trying. He’d been turning over every stone in search of them, but he couldn’t find anything. Harleen thought that maybe they’d gone back underground, but again, Bruce wasn’t sure.

‘If they really control Gotham like they say they did...and everything has changed in Gotham, they have to be behind it’.

The question was, what could force the Court to rapidly change their course? He had a few theories, but nothing concrete. He had to get find them again. ‘If only the petty thieves, rapists, murderers and other villains of Gotham city would let me’.

“I have a few theories” he says openly, though he doesn’t say any more. Montoya doesn’t probe either. Since that first meeting on the very same rooftop months ago she’d gotten used to the fact that he’d only give her information on a need to know basis. She didn’t care...much. As long as it helped her keep the streets safer and cleaner? She’d allow him to be aloof. 

“Alright...well...wanna share any?”

“It’s too early to tell” he explains. “Ahh..alright then. Well, if it’s worth anything, we thinking Mandragora is trying to make a move on the businesses in Market Square. They made good rackets for Franco Bertinelli, and apparently they lapsed after his and Carmine Falcone’s death”.

“Thanks for the tip”. 

Montoya reaches into her pocket, retracting a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She wasn’t proud of it but she’d picked up the habit recently, most likely as a result of being around Harvey Bullock so often. “Those things will kill you”.

“Before Gotham does?” she teases, flicking the lighter on and bringing it up to the cigarette held between her lips. “I doubt….” she looks around, not seeing the caped vigilante anymore. Anywhere on the rooftop really. She shrugs and takes a drag. “Andddd you’re gone. Typical”.

It was strange, but the good kind of strange. She’d actually grown to like the vigilante duo protecting the night. ‘Just hope Batwoman is with him next time’ she smirks, biting her lip. ‘Her ass really looks good in that suit...no...no. Bad Renee. Not nice’.

She turns and moves back towards the door, wanting to at least get out of the cold. ‘Good luck hunting’ she says, casting one last look over the night sky. 

**_Stagg Industries_ **

“Is everything in order?”

“Yes Matriarch” the woman in a pencil skirt and high heels says, following behind Selina as they walk into the elevator. “Good. Good. Glad to hear that”.

  
She was in a bad mood, but she wasn’t going to take it out on her assistant, the Talon named Denise. “How’s your husband?” she asks, wanting to shift the conversation away from work. “Are you two enjoying your apartment?” she asks.

The woman smiles and nods, as always, thankful to the Matriarch for the gifts she’d bestowed upon them. “Ohh yes. It’s amazing. We never had our own place before. The view is just spectacular too. Every night…”.

Her words fade out though Selina continues to listen, taking them in while letting her own thoughts run wild. The past few months had been busy. She’d been knocking pegs out of place, rearranging the board to better suit her needs. She was the one hanging Loeb and the rest out to dry. She didn’t do it too quickly though. That would be suspicious. A slow death was much more fun to watch any way. Hill and the rest scrambled, looking for their allies to protect them. Allies she’d conveniently replaced with her own loyalists.

Despite what happened with Harvey Dent, a regrettable but also profitable event as it put him well ahead of Mayor Hill, things were going well. But not for her personally. Since she had met Bruce at Stagg industries, she’d only been able to see him another two times. Once at Leslie Tompkins funeral and once more at her office. She hadn’t been the shoulder for him to lean on that she wanted to be at the funeral, as Harleen was there with him.

‘That blonde whore’ she spits mentally. ‘She ruined everything. I couldn’t enjoy being near Bruce, or the fact that the bitch was dead. At least the kids were there’.

The second meeting at her office had gone a little better, with Jason and Barbara being with him once again. The little girl latched onto her once more, apparently loving her aunt Selina after warming up to her. Jason had been harder, but she’d still been able to give him his present of a set of custom made tin soldiers. It was a little dated as a gift for a boy, she knew that, but she loved how his eyes lit up at them.

“Nobody except Bruce and Harleen ever gave me anything” he had said, making her heart bleed in sorrow for him. It took all it had in her to not grab him up right there, smother him in kisses and tell him that she’d spoil him for the rest of her life. Playing it smart had gotten harder and harder, especially with none of the three realizing her depth of devotion and love for them.

Bruce was the hardest.

She’d talk with him, and smile and try and look as pretty as could be, but the conversation rarely strayed into waters that she wanted it to go. Things were almost strictly business with him. She’d slowly wormed Stagg Industries into Wayne Enterprises in more and more ventures. She’d started a few coalitions in regards to charity, and Bruce had told her that he considered her a very dear friend. 

‘I need to be more than that to you Bruce’ she pleads to an imaginary figure of the man.

“But...Matriarch...we...that is, Charles and I….we...wanted to ask you one more favor” Denise asks, snapping her out of her daydreams. “A favor?” she asks, hoping that her Talons, whom she was slowly rewarding with their own lives and aliases above ground, weren’t getting greedy. ‘I’ll be very cross if it’s something stupid’.

“Well...yes…”

“Spit it out” the Matriarch says angrily, wanting to return to her day dreams as the elevator moves upwards. 

The tone seems to frighten the woman, none of them liking it when the Matriarch was mad at them. In many ways, they were so much like children yearning for their mother’s affection. Selina already felt guilty. She turns and hugs the woman close, rubbing her back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. Tell me, what is it I can do for you and Charles?”

The woman is calmed and hugs Selina back fiercely, the depth of devotion the Talons had to her being so strong that such small acts of affection meant the world to them. “Well...we...we thought, since Christmas is coming soon...we wish to have a hatchling. We wanted to take one in now so when it came time we could have presents for them under the tree...like the stories we heard as children”.

The words hit right into Selina’s heart. ‘Christmas’ she thinks, the woman backing up a bit and looking up hopefully at the Matriarch, who seemed deep in thought.

_ “This one is for you Jason’ she says, sitting beside the tree and handing the boy a brightly wrapped box. He gingerly takes it, a wide smile and blush on his face. “Thank you...mom”. _

_ She would gasp and smile even wider as the little boy moves in and hugs her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as another pair of arms comes from the opposite side. “Merry Christmas mommy!” Barbara says excitedly. She wouldn’t hold it in and would kiss both of them multiple times, seated under the tree, a roaring fire across the room as they sat in Wayne Manor. _

_ “Ohh? Starting without me?” Bruce says, moving into the room dressed in his robe. He’d sit right down next to them, taking Barbara in his arms and placing her in his lap. Selina blushes and looks away, though Bruce reaches out and takes her chin, turning it with his fingers. “Merry Christmas Mrs. Wayne” he says. _

_ She smiles and moves in, kissing his lips lovingly as the kids turn back to the tree, seeking out the presents they wanted to give to their parents. “Merry Christmas Mr. Wayne...beloved”. _

“Do you...do you think we’re ready?”

She turns to Denise, her daydream warming her heart. She takes the woman’s hands in her own and nods. “Of course. Of course. Did you have your eyes on any child in the Court?” she asks, referring to the gaggle of children who remained below ground. They had been kidnapped by the Court under Leslie, but now were somewhat in limbo. Selina had decided that they’d be cared for and nurtured, eventually placed in homes with her Talon’s once they were settled. It was a system of rewards that benefited both. Veronica Vreeland was in charge of the children until they left her care, and she ensured that they were loved and provided for even before then.

‘Speaking of, her training is going well’ she thinks, going back to how her own Paladin was progressing.

“Well, Charles and I have grown close to a little boy named Jake. He has such beautiful blonde hair but such sad little blue eyes. We’d like to change that”.

“Well then, Jake can be moved into your apartment tonight if you so wish and have room ready for him”.

The woman is shocked by the quickness of her words, but not unprepared. She smiles and nods, practically jumping up and down for joy. “Of course Matriarch! We readied his room nearly as soon as we moved in. We have everything waiting! We just need him”.

“Then you shall have him” Selina says, now somewhat disinterestedly, her mind imagining how Barbara would smile when opening a present containing a horse for her barbie dolls, or how Jason would drive his rc car under the Christmas tree. 

“Ohh I can’t wait to tell Charles!”

“Well then, you can go home early Denise” she says, the elevator stopping and allowing the CEO off. “Matriarch?” the woman asks curiously, holding the doors open. Selina turns and smiles. “You heard me. I don’t need you for the rest of the day. Go home and tell your husband that you’re going to collect your son tonight” she says, wanting to be alone with her thoughts and dreams.

“Ohh thank you! Thank you Matriarch! We love you so much!”

The doors close on the excited woman as the elevator moves back down the shaft. Selina just moves down towards her office, a sad smile on her face. It didn’t look like she’d have a full Christmas tree to gift to her children this year. Not from lack of trying or money, but just lack of her success. She passes a mirror and wants to scowl. ‘You’re not beautiful enough’ she thinks. ‘That’s why he doesn’t notice you. He likes blondes. You have a scar. Her chest is bigger’.

She tries to fight down these defeatist thoughts, but they just keep coming. An onslaught of insecurity caused by hiding in the darkness for over a decade. “Selina, stay the course. Stay the course” she soothes herself, trying to think of more positive things. She tries to imagine a Christmas eve spent with Bruce. 

‘We’d tuck the children in, wrap their presents and get ready for the next day. But first, I’d give Bruce one of his gifts. I’d dress up in a sexy red lingerie with white trim. I’d be his Mrs. Claus’ she thinks to herself, blushing at the image her mind conjures up of her laying on her side in bed, coaxing him forward to enjoy her company.

‘Soon. Just stay the course, and everything you’ve ever wanted is yours’.

**_Apartment of Dinah Lance_ **

She paces back and forth, nervously. “Ohh God...ohh God. Why’d this happen? Why’d this happen now? What the fuck?” she screams, angrily throwing a punch at the wall. She hit a stud and instead of punching through the sheetrock, just mildly dents it. Anyone else would’ve hurt their hand seriously, but Dinah was in enough scrapes to say that she’d grown tough skin, especially in her fists.

She continues to pace, disheveled in her anxiety and nervousness. She was wearing only sweat pants and a loose fitting tank top, which did absolutely nothing to hide her gorgeous form. Her hair was disheveled and askew, the result of not brushing it that morning. 

She tries to calm down, turning her mind to the past few months since meeting Batman and Batwoman. ‘And Q’ she thinks, fighting to suppress the smile that grows on her face every time she thinks of the faceless vigilante. 

She’d seen and fought with him more often than the Bats, but still, they’d all had enough scrapes together already. Gotham was like that. Still, Q was her go to dance partner. Between breaking up gangs on the dock side and investigating corporate or government corruption, they’d been steadfast partners.

‘The lovemaking has been amazing too’.

She shakes this thought away, not ready to even think about something like that in the moment. She turns her mind back to Q. ‘We fit together easily’ she reminds herself. ‘Too easily’.

She could admit privately that she’d fallen for him, as stupid as she knew it sounded. ‘You don’t know his name, and you haven’t seen his face’ she thinks. ‘True. But you know his body very well..’ her mind purrs back. ‘You know that he cooks for you, wants to hear you sing, rubs your back, says the sweetest things to, let’s you talk…’. The list goes on and on. It was the strangest relationship she’d ever had, but also….the best.

They’d never actually put a name on it though. Never said the words “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”. She just called him babydoll, and he just called her Dinah, which was the most beautiful word ever spoken to her if it was from his mouth. 

She’d sent him a text message a few hours prior. “We need to talk”. That’s all it said.

She knew he’d come. He always did when she called. Right on cue, a tap at the window indicates that he had arrived, and she wastes no time in moving towards it, opening it up. “Dinah” he says simply, moving into the apartment quickly to avoid the cold and wanting off of the fire escape. She smiles at him, though it was a tight and reserved one.

He notices, but doesn’t engage on it at that moment as he turns and closes the window. 

“Are you okay?”

Concern. Concern was in his voice. That made her even more uncomfortable. She didn’t want to lose this, even if others might not consider it much more than a prolonged booty call. She wanted it to be more. She needed it to be. Especially with the news she was going to have to drop on him.

She doesn’t answer, not immediately, and he moves in to try and calm her, seeing the tears rolling down her cheek. “Dinah...what’s wrong?” he asks, his gloved hands moving to her waist.

“Q...baby...we need to talk” she mumbles out trying to keep from sobbing. He pulls her towards the bed, his hands not moving from her body. He was gentle. Always so gentle with her. She sits down on the bed and Q quickly moves next to her. He slips out of his coat and gloves, laying them behind the two on the bed.

“I...well...I have something….” she couldn’t finish the words. She couldn’t get them out. She was afraid. So afraid.

“Dinah...I need you to tell me what’s wrong”.

His words have an effect. She knows that walking around the subject isn’t going to help her and she just needs to get it out there, letting the cards fall where they may. She reaches back onto her end table, grabs an item, and returns back, handing it over to the Question.

He takes it gingerly in his hands, wondering at first what it is before realizing. He goes stock still, looking down at the pregnancy test in his hands, the two red lines glaring out at him. He turns slowly to Dinah, looking at her through the mask. She begins to cry. Any other time, that blank faceless expression got her engine going. Now? It just killed her. She needed to know what he was thinking.

“I...I...I don’t know what happened!” she sobs out, knowing that wasn’t exactly true. She knew where babies came from and she knew that her and Q had been going at it like rabbits. Still, it shouldn’t have happened. “I...I was on the pill! I took them, every single one….I...I...oh God” she sobs out, placing her face in her hands and crying. It takes a moment, but slowly she feels a hand reach out to rub her back before her body is pulled into his. She craves his touch, and she buries her face in his chest. She needed to be comforted. Wanted it to be him that comforted her more than anything else in the world”.

“This is my fault” he says, his voice sounding hollow and muffled. “Ohh baby...no it’s…”

“Yes….it is” he interrupts her, reaching down to rub her cheek with his thumb. “I didn’t think about it at the time, nor until now...but I have a very specific diet. I don’t consume any soy, or very limited quantities. This increases a lot of...well...male health benefits” he says, cloaking his words. “Birth control is ninety nine percent effective” he says. 

Her eyes widen at the facts laid out before her and it all dawns on her. For some reason..she laughs. A chuckle builds up in her stomach before moving up her entire body, shaking her with its intensity. “So...your swimmers...got us into this mess?” she teases. “Figures. I...I get the one guy with super duper cum”.

He holds her tight, shaking his head, but happy that Dinah could feel a little relief through the laughter. She calms slowly, taking deep breaths in his arms as they sit there on her bed quietly.

He was now quite nervous, and he knew he needed to ask this question. “What...what do you want to do?” 

She looks up at him, a fierce look in her eyes as she tries to back away from him in case their minds ran contradictory on this note. “I’m going to have a baby” she says. “I know I’m not the best one, jumping into bed with you after all, but I’m a Catholic and I refuse to cross that line so...I’m having a baby”.

He lets out an audible sigh of relief that calms her and makes her move right back into him, beyond happy that they were of a like mind on that subject. “Good. I’m glad I don’t have to convince you” he says, hugging her tight. “Me too by the way”.

“Me too what?” she asks.

“I’m a Catholic as well. I was raised in an orphanage” he says. “The kind run by nuns”.

She nods, not having known that before. ‘Well..you don’t know much in regards to his history’ she reminds herself, bringing her to her next point. She sighs and looks away. “I...I don’t expect you to stick around you know”.

The air goes silent in the room for a moment before she continues to speak. “My dad took off, and well…..I guess the cycle continues. It’s alright. I’m not angry at you if you do. Just…I don’t know”.

He’s quiet but he does know that he has to say something. “I’m...I’m not leaving Dinah” he explains, reaching into his coat to retrieve the aerosol spray. He moves it to his face and sprays it out over his mask, Dinah watching confusedly. Slowly the mask becomes translucent and he peels it away, turning to see her and revealing his face for the first time. She gasps at that show of trust, and reaches out to run her fingers over his features. He was handsome. Ruggedly so, and she couldn’t get enough of those brown eyes of his. 

She reaches up further, running her fingers through his dark red hair. “I didn’t think you were a ginger. Is my baby going to have a soul?” she teases.

“Ha ha” he remarks dryly, taking her hand in his. “My name is Charles Victor Szasz but...just call me Victor or Vic please” he says, introducing himself, the real him, finally.

She wants to cry, but she knew that it wasn’t just her hormones causing that. “Hey Vic. I’m Dinah. Your girlfriend and the mother of your unborn child” she explains, laughing at how ridiculous that sounds. 

“I love you”.

The words come out of the man quickly and unexpectedly, his face giving it away that he didn’t expect to say those three words either. They shocked her, but what shocked her even more was finally being able to look into his eyes and know he was telling the truth. “I love you too” the blonde woman says, the words being truthful on her end too. Vic reaches out and places his hand on her stomach, a smile slowly forming on his lips.

“Well...it isn’t the most opportune time for you to come but...I love you too. Whoever you are in there”. 

Dinah places her hand over his and sighs lovingly. “Let me guess...you’re Irish too aren’t you?”

“Yes. Mostly. Not really sure. That’s what the nuns told me”.

Dinah laughs, finding it humorous. “Ain’t we a pair?”

“We are”.

Those words solidified it for her. They were a pair, and it was now out in the open. “I think you should move to my place” he says. “It’s in a little safer part of town” he explains. “I think that’s a good idea” she says, wanting to be closer to the man anyways. “Good. Glad I don’t have to fight you on that” he explains.    
  


“Is it okay if we have...just one more night here though?” she asks, rubbing his cheek. “I want us to make love here. Right on my bed again in this crappy apartment in the middle of the Narrows” she teases, moving closer to him, staring right into his eyes. “But I want you to look at me while we do. Slowly. Gently”.

His hands move to her waist and he picks her up, laying her back on the bed before he moves in to kiss her cheek and then her neck. “Your wish is my command” he says, causing her to moan as she twists her neck to the right, allowing him more access. “Vic!” she moans out, feeling him touch a very particularly sensitive part of her, his hands moving to cup one of her breasts through her top. 

Both decided that they loved to hear and feel his name on her lips.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

“Jason, Barbara...sweeties...I just need to talk to aunt Pam for a little while. Alone” Harleen says, giving the now guilty looking green skinned woman a glare. The kids notice the look and keep changing between looking at their mother figure, and the other woman. “Okay Harleen” Jason says while taking Barbara’s hand and pulling the redhead away. 

When the two are left alone in the living room of Wayne Manor, Harleen lets loose. “Why the hell are you avoiding Harvey?”

Pamela wasn’t ready and she turns away, walking towards a window to look out. She crosses her arms under her chest and tries to keep the tears at bay. “I can’t...I can’t see him”.

“Why the hell not?” Harleen continues, pressing on and moving closer to the woman. “I can’t” Pamela whispers once again.

“Bullshit” Harleen interjects, turning the woman forcefully by the shoulder to force her to look into her eyes. “I can’t believe you” she begins, having worked herself up into a fury. “He runs through fire for you! He burns himself for you! And you won’t even visit him in the hospital? How selfish are you Pamela?” she screams, glad that the doors were closed to muffle their voices. “You? Of all people? Turning away from someone who loves you as much as Harvey does, because of the burns?!”

Harleen was shocked and angered by her friend, and she couldn’t believe this whole situation. But Pamela? Pamela was even more angered. She snaps, pushing Harleen away. “THAT HAS NOTHING TO FUCKING DO WITH IT!” she screams, the tears rushing down her face now as she lets the dam loose. 

Harleen was further shocked, not having expected that. But Pamela gives it all now that she starts. “I don’t care about the burns” she says. “I don’t care. What I care about is...is...I...I failed him” she sobs, falling to her knees and covering her eyes. Harleen is instantly on the ground too, unable to stifle the psychiatrist or the friend in her, even in her rage. She wraps her arms around Pamela, letting her lean on her.    
  


“I have powers Harleen! I could’ve saved him. Stopped Firefly. Why didn’t I? Why couldn’t I? Now he’s hurt...and it’s all my fault...I...I….how can he even look at me again without hating me? I...I can’t see him. I can’t see him hurt like that….it’s...it’s...all my fault”.

Harleen now felt that the tides had turned. She felt beyond guilty at assuming the worst in her friend. ‘Dammit..’ she thinks, for once feeling like the pessimist of what the media had started to term the dynamic duo. She rubs Pamela’s back, wanting to soothe her. “Sweetie...Harvey doesn’t hate you. He doesn’t blame you” she says, knowing that to be true.

“How could he not? He should never want to see me again”.

“He told me to tell you that he doesn’t blame you” she begins. “He thinks you’ve left him. That you don’t care for him anymore because of the burns”. Harleen was beyond happy that she knew this was going to be worked out, a misunderstanding between lovers it was after all. “He...he does?” Pamela asks fearfully. Harleen nods in confirmation.

“He also told me to tell you that he loves you. That you were the best thing to ever happen to him. You are his “one”, and that he’s happy he had the time with you that he did, even if he didn’t get to keep you”.

The tears are still running down her cheeks, visible against her green hues, but she is now silent. Harleen smiles and tilts her head, watching as Pamela hugs her tight then shuffles out of her arms, rushing towards the coat rack. Harleen remains on the floor, smiling to herself. “Where are you going?”

Pamela stops in her tracks and turns, the resolve showing on her face. “I need...I need to face him” she says. “I...I don’t...I just need to see him”.

“I’ll be waiting up for you” she calls out, watching as the woman moves out into the grounds from the window. She’d undoubtedly take a bus, or a cab. ‘Bruce will pay the tab’ she thinks with a smile, knowing that Derrick the cab driver would always be there for the Wayne family. ‘Especially after Bruce picked up the tab for his daughter’s medical bills’.

“Jason!” she calls out. “Barbara?”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you get your toy soldiers and come in here and play?” she asks, wanting to have some time with her babies. “Okay!” Jason and Barbara shout excitedly back in tandem. She lets out a sigh of relief, glad that her confrontation with Pamela hadn’t gotten out of hand. 

‘Damn these people for making me love them all so much’ she thinks out jokingly before adding, ‘family. You Ms. Quinzel, are a family woman now’.

**_Gotham City General_ **

The tv didn’t have anything on. At least nothing that interested him. It was all late night talk shows or whatever other mindless drivel they set aside for this time block. He didn’t really care. He just clicks it off, sitting up in bed still. He wasn’t tired, he couldn’t sleep.

He sighs to himself and turns to look at the far wall before he’s shocked by the figure standing in the doorway. For a minute he doesn’t recognize her, the obviously female figure standing there in an overcoat and hat. “Ms?” he asks before it dawns on him.

His mouth goes dry at the sight of the woman, and he can’t say anymore as she steps into the room. She first removes her hat, placing it on a chair and allowing her bright red locks to come into view. The next is the coat, which quickly joins the hat on the chair. 

  
“Pam?” he asks in shock.

The woman smiles shyly before moving closer to him, setting herself down in the chair besides the bed. She looks down in shame but reaches her hand out, offering it to him. He takes it eagerly, latching on like she was the last thing in the world. It hurts a bit, and he realizes that it’s his burnt hand. He makes to pull back, thinking that she’d be disgusted by it, but instead, she only keeps him from pulling away. 

“Harvey”.

The two are silent, not saying much to each other, though there was so much that needed to be said. “I’m...I’m so sorry baby” she says.

“For what? You didn’t…”

“You’re right” she says, looking into his eyes. “I didn’t. I didn’t save you like I should have. I didn’t visit. That’s my problem. I didn’t...but I should have”. The tears come again, and she can’t contain them, nor does she try. He reaches out, and caresses her cheek. “Pam...I don’t blame you at all”.

She had been so afraid to see hatred or anger in his eyes, but when she looks at him now, all she sees is love and affection. “Pam...I love you. That’s why I did what I did. I’m just glad you’re not hurt”.

“But you are…” she begins.

“For you? Worth it”

Silence fills the air and Pamela steels herself for the next part. “Harleen told me…” she begins. “What you had to say”.

“Ohh…”.

“I love you too Harvey”.

He reveled in those words, and the smile on his face, as mangled as it was on one side, was proof of that. He steeled himself for the next part. The “but...I can’t be with you” part he knew was coming.

“You are my “one” as well” she says chuckling. “I never expected to fall in love. Not with anyone. Especially not a republican tree hater” she teases, lacing her fingers through his own. “But I did. I fell in love with you. I’m still falling. I think I always will be” she says. “You already gave up so much for me….I can never repay it” she says.

Harvey looks at her, hating her words for the sole fact that he knew he was going to be pushed off the cliff soon enough. ‘Get ready fucker’ Big Bad Harv whispers in his mind.

“But I want to spend the rest of my life trying…” she admits, sending the man for a whirl. “I know that may be...premature, but...when a man saves a woman’s life like you did, in the fairytales, doesn’t that mean a happily ever after?”

“Pamela...look at me” he says, half angrily. She just smiles. “I am. And I love what I see”. She reaches forward and places her hand gently on the burnt side of his face. He winces in slight pain for a second before a soothing and calming feeling washes over him. She just smirks. “Consider me portable Aloe Vera bottle” she jokes.

“There are perks to being mother nature’s man” she continues. Without another word she leans forward over the bed, resting against his chest. On impulse he moves up to kiss her but stops at the last moment, remembering his wounds as usual. She doesn’t though, and she merely leans forward to capture his lips with her own, making up the distance between them.

When they separate she remains close their breaths mingling against one another as she climbs into the bed with him, nuzzling against him. “I’m sorry for not being here more for you” she says. “I...I was so afraid you’d hate me”.

“Never” he admits, making her heart beat even faster.

“I love you Harvey”.

“I love you too Pam. Are you sure you wanna wake up to this ugly mug every morning?” he asks in a self deprecating tone he knew he’d be using a lot from now on out. “Uhhmm” she says, looking at him. “One side of your face is the handsome man I know, and the other is the utter proof that you love me” she says. “And here…” she says, moving her hand to his chest above his heart. “Is the most beautiful thing about you. So yes...I’d like to wake up to this beautiful picture I have in front of me every morning”.

“I may have two faces now Pamela” he says. “But both of them love you more than I can ever put into words”. 

She smiles and laughs, a light tinkling sound that warms his heart. She lays her head back on his chest and sighs. “I love you...Mayor Dent”.

“I haven’t won yet” he says, leaning in to catch the scent of her hair. “You will baby. You will. And I’ll be right there beside you, win or lose. Always”.


	23. Chapter 23

**_Outside of Gotham General Hospital_ **

“Mr. Dent! Mr. Dent! How do you feel now that you’ve been discharged from the hospital?”

“Mr. Dent, do you feel that the courts were too lenient on Mr. Lynns, a.k.a Firefly?”

“Mr Dent! Gotham Gazette..”

He should’ve have known that they would swarm him as soon as he exited the hospital, but he hadn’t been really prepared for it. The cameras, the shouting, the light. It was all...too much. He brings his hand up, his unbandaged one, and tries to shield his eyes from it. He’d spent too long under artificial lighting that he was beginning to think that he’d never get used to the sun again.

A weight settles on his side, an arm wrapping about his chest as well. Pamela molded herself into him once more, something she hadn’t stopped doing since their reconciliation a few days prior. She was livid, practically hissing at the crowd of reporters. “Mr. Dent needs space and rest. What you need to do is back off!”.

“Pam..Pam..it’s okay” Harvey says calmly, taking a deep breath and looking up, wanting to face down the crowd of reporters. He clears his throat, a microphone instantly brought up to his lips as the reporters, like piranhas sensing blood in the water, begin to swarm him again. 

He still wore the bandages on the left side of his face, hiding the burns. He knew he’d eventually come to terms with them, and be okay with letting the public see, but for now? He wished he was a turtle. “Umm...well, hello Gotham. It’s been a little while” he says, wanting to remain positive. “As for the questions asked…” he begins, holding up a hand to silence any oncoming ones. “I am very happy to be out, and well….just happy” he says, looking back at Ivy and pulling her close by her waist. 

“I feel that Garfield Lynns is a threat to society but...I disavow the death penalty many of you were pushing for. I just don’t feel that it’s right. I think Mr. Lynns is well suited to life at Belle Reeve maximum security prison where I hope he has time to think on where he went wrong” he says, shocking the redhead next to him with how calm he was being.

He gives a nervous smile and turns this way and that, seeking out a familiar face. “Ahh...well, I’ll answer one more question...Ms. Vale? Would you like to be the one to ask it?” he says, wanting to thank the woman for her kind gesture.

The burnette smiles and nods, moving forward a bit. “Mr. Dent. The election is in a week. Are you excited to be mayor?”

Harvey lets out a nervous chuckle, trying to slink away from answering the question. “Well...uhh...we haven’t…”.

He feels a nudge in his side, looking down to see his girlfriend jokingly glaring at him. He nods and shrugs before whispering, “Sorry. Old habits. I’ll be more positive”.

He turns back to the reporter and shakes his head in the affirmative. “I’m very excited to serve this great city and her people in any way I can”.

The crowds surrounding the hospital, the ones on the outside perimeter of the line of reporters, burst into cheers, which only make the scarred man want to retreat even further into himself. Ms. Vale had one more question, though it wasn’t for him. She turns to the green skinned woman at Harvey’s side and begins to ask it.

“My next question is for you Ms. Isley” she teases, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. “Do you have anything to say to the public about Harvey Dent?”

Pamela seemed to have taken Harvey’s place as the nervous wreck, and she almost stutters as she tries to speak. “Umm...well...I…”.

Harvey’s hold on her gently increases, his hand moving to rub her back up and down through her coat. She felt steadied, in more ways than one. She smiles up at the man. “I don’t have anything to say no…” she says to Ms. Vale, slightly disappointing the woman. “I do have something to show them however”.

Without another word she reaches up and presses her lips to a shocked Harvey’s, the man not having expected it. Her arms go around his shoulders, and she stands on the very tip of her toes to maintain her reach. Harvey is quick as well, wrapping about her and crushing her body into his.

The crowd cheers and cameras flash, Vikki just smirks. When the two release each other Ivy continues to look into Harvey’s eyes, her hand coming up to the bandage free side of his face. “Come on future Mayor Dent. We have a limo waiting for us” she teases, beginning to pull him through the crowd. It was hard going at first, most of the reporters refusing to take no for an answer. 

“Come on, come on, move out of the way!”

It was clear that her shouts were not having the desired effect upon the group and Ivy was at her wits end. Only then does she see the nearby tree, its branches shivering in the wind as it lays naked of all leaves. “Alright, I guess I’ll have to make way then” she says, mostly to herself. 

Upon her command, two roots crash up through the concrete, momentarily startling the crowd. They thread their way through and suddenly push outwards, moving the mass of bodies to clear a path for her and Harvey right to the waiting limousine. 

“Come on dear” she teases coquettishly, the cameras flashing even more as the fear of her powers gives way to interest. Harvey follows along, waving and trying to remain polite despite the brute, but peaceful, force his girlfriend had had to apply. 

They get to the familiar dark car and Ivy opens the door for Harvey. He doesn’t move though, and instead quirks an eyebrow at her.

She clicks her tongue, realizing that he refused to get in before her, and she leans into the car. Harvey smiles and moves in behind her, waving one last time before closing the door. He was in for another surprise as apparently he and Ivy weren’t alone.

“Uncle Harvey!”

Barbara rockets into him, hugging him tightly by the side and instantly worrying Pamela. “Barbara..sweetie...be careful okay? Uncle Harvey is a little…”

“No Pamela, it’s...believe me it’s fine” he interjects, hugging the little redhead tight. “Hi Barbara” he says, beyond happy at this surprise. The little girl wasn’t afraid of him, and that buoyed his spirits. He sees Jason sitting on the far side and gives him a smile of his own.

“Hey slugger. How are you?”

“Hey Harvey. I’m fine. How about you?”

That was one thing about Jason. He preferred to call him by his first name. That was alright with the man if anyone asked him. He knew that Jason had been through a lot, even more than Barbara, which was saying something.

“I’m fine. A lot better now that I’m out of that place” he says, picking up Barbara by her waist and placing her in the seat, quickly working her seat belt around her. “I don’t like hospitals either” Jason admits.

“Welcome back to the enthusiastic embrace of the Wayne family Mr. Dent” Alfred says wryly from his position in the driver’s seat. “Thanks for having me back Al”.

He turns to Pamela and reaches over the seat to rub her shoulder. “Now, where are Bruce and Harleen?” he asks.

“Well Mr. Dent, apparently another first for them this year” Alfred supplies, pulling the car off of the curb. “Christmas shopping” Pamela adds laughing.

“What?” Harvey laughs.

“Uhhmm! Harleen said we couldn’t go because then we’d know what they got everyone, and they said that I would tell. Which is probably true. I’m a motormouth. That’s what the kids at school used to call me. But not anymore! I like it better at Gotham Prep. Jason does to. But the uniforms can stink. I….”

Harvey nods along, trying to follow the girl’s words as usual and failing. In the end, he was just happy to be back to normal. Well..mostly normal.

‘Christmas...wow...that’s close’ he thinks, his own thoughts moving onto the holiday. His eyes drift to Pam, and he can’t help but marvel at how she looks at Barbara. Her own fingers move through the little girl’s hair, smiling down at her as she goes on exuberantly.

‘I want to get her something. Something really special’.

He had a few weeks to do it at least.

**_Home of Gillian Loeb, Just Outside of Gotham City_ **

“Put me on leave? Me?!!” the man screams, though it was heard by nobody. He was alone in his house, which now felt empty. It was. Loeb was now all alone. After the news had broke, his wife of thirty years had left him and taken their two children.

She didn’t care about the escorts. No. She’d always known, but the fact of the matter was that their dirty laundry had been put out in public for the city to see. So...she left, and took a good chunk of his money with her. He didn’t really care. Not about her, nor the two sons they’d had from the early years of their marriage when they took their rare pleasures with one another.

He shuffled through the hallway, his feet impacting against the hard and cold wood floors. “Motherfuckers. I know who did this. I know who did this!”

He sways this way and that, having broken into the liquor cabinet early. Even now he brings the half empty bottle of whiskey to his lips, taking another sip. He pulls it away and sloppily wipes his lips. “That dyke Montoya! She...she…”.

“Ruined your life?”

He stops in the middle of his rant, swaying as the world shakes around him. “Who...who’s there?”

“Certainly not your conscience” the voice calls out, though he couldn’t even pinpoint where it was coming from. “Where..who the fuck are you?” he shouts impotently, reaching into his waistband to try and draw his pistol.

The figure darts forward and before the corpulent man has a chance to resist he feels himself lifted off of the ground. He shouts out as his body is held over the bannister of his upper floor staircase, and he looks down in horror as the floor below him seems to sway and move with his inebriation. He turns to look at his assailant, reaching forward and grasping his wrist.

“Who..who…”

“Hoot, hoot is the correct way to say it” the dark clad figure says, menacing the man even more with the round lens of the eyeholes over the mask he wore. It was a testament to his strength that he could hold the man with only one hand. An almost superhuman strength. 

His other hand comes out and waves through the air, showcasing the horrifyingly sharp nails the gloves had. “They’ve sent the Talon for your head commissioner Loeb” the voice says, pulling him back in and letting his feet touch the ground. The respite the corrupt official had was fleeting however, as the man begins to pull him down the hallway, his feet scuffing against the carpet as they go. “Please! Please! Don’t!” he begs, tears cascading down his fat cheeks.

“Don’t what?” the Talon asks, positioning the man in front of the stairs as he drags him to his feet, maintaining a hold on his undone shirt collar. He looks down to watch the crotch of the man’s trousers darken, Loeb having urinated in his fear.

“Don...don’t...don’t kill me!” the man blubbers out.

“I’m not going to kill you”.

Those words seem strange to the man, every action of the black clad figure up until that point seeming to have hinted at that eventuality. He goes weak kneed at the revelation and shakily smiles at the man. 

“Than...thank you. I have...money” he begins before a light chuckling cuts him off.

  
“I don’t need it. But thanks for the offer. I said I wasn’t going to kill you” he reiterates, Loeb nodding at the words as he didn’t understand what this was all about.

The Talon leans forward, close to the man’s face which only serves to frighten him even more. He stares into the glass of the lenses, seeing nothing but his own fearful reflection in them. “But the fall will”.

The words barely have time to settle into Loeb’s brain before the Talon throws him forward and he begins to sail through the air over the steps. He doesn’t have time to scream, or think. All he knows is he’s falling, and with a lot of added force due to how he’d been thrown.

He crashes down the stairs, breaking bones and bruising himself as he skids down them, his eyes focused on the marble floor quickly approaching in his field of vision. He impacts against it, hard, and that only serves to slam his head back and snap his neck.

“You dead?”

The man gets no response from the body now lying at the foot of the steps, a puddle of blood rapidly expanding around him. “Yeah...you’re dead”.

He wastes no time in retracting a cell phone from his pocket. It had taken some getting used to, but he was slowly getting the hang of it. “Damn gloves” he mutters to himself, gingerly pressing the buttons on the screen. He brings the device to his ear as soon as the number is dialed, and waits for the woman to pick up.

She does on the third ring.

“Yes Charles?” 

“Ms. Kyle. I just wanted to tell you that I’ve taken care of the problem” he says, disguising the truth behind the murder he had just committed as just another job for his boss. 

“Excellent. Excellent. Ohh...I had a call from your wife earlier. You should call her. Take the rest of the day off” she teases from the other end of the line.

“Thank you ma’am. If you need me, please call me”.

“I will Charles. Now, enjoy your night”.

She hangs up, and as soon as he is free from that call his fingers are eagerly working on dialing up his wife. She also picks up quickly, and he begins to walk towards the window he’d entered the home through, wanting to ensure he left no traces of his being there.

“Charles?”

“Hey baby. What’s up? The Matriarch said you wanted to talk” he says, moving down the hallway. The woman sounded excited. “Charles...Charles, Jake gave me a hug!” she says, causing the man to stop in his tracks. “He did?” he asks in shock, a happy shock however. Since taking in their hatchling he’d been aloof, quiet. But slowly it seemed that he was getting used to them. “He did! He did. I kept him home from school today, he wasn’t feeling good. And we were sitting on the couch, eating spaghettios and watching cartoons and...he hugged me!”

“Denise, that’s amazing sweetheart. A little jealous. I wanted to get his first hug” the man jokes good naturedly. “I’m sure he’ll give you one of your own when you get home but...ohh yes! Yes! He finally, finally told me what he wanted for Christmas!”

“Ohh?”

“He wants a police car that he saw on tv. It has all these flashing lights and everything. I saw how his eyes lit up and I kept asking him if he wanted the...what was it? That red guy…”

“Santa” Charles supplies for his wife, the young in the Court not having been told about the jolly red gift giver growing up. “Ohh yeah, I asked if he wanted Santa Claus to bring it for him and he didn’t want to answer. Eventually, after a tickle fight, he told me that if Santa didn’t forget him, he’d like the police car”.

That hit him, and he didn’t know how to respond. Instead he jumps through the open window and turns on the balcony to push it back into place, removing any evidence that he’d even been there. “Charles….I want to make this Christmas special for him” she says into the phone.

“We will sweetie. We will. Do you think the toy store will have any of them?” he asks, jumping the fifteen feet between the upper balcony and the ground, rushing silently across the grass and hoping over the shrubbery. He was hidden now, not that anyone else would’ve seen him. He begins to change back into his clothes which he’d secreted in a duffle bag.

“Well duh, that’s where you’d go. So on your way home…”

“Yup. I’ll get him some other things too now that we have an idea” he says, moving out of the bushes, looking both ways, and then moving towards his car that he’d parked a block away. He blended in, most Talons did. Nobody batted an eye at the nondescript handsome man with sandy blonde hair in a jacket as he talked on the phone.

“Need anything else babe?”

“Well….hmmm….milk I think…” she says before laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing just...domestic life. Last thing I expected” Denise says over the phone. “Well, it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me Denise. Aside from you”.

“I love you Charles. Get your cute butt home soon. Ms. Kyle gave us tomorrow off to decorate the tree with Jake. She seemed to be in a hurry”.

“Hmm...wonder why that is” he wonders aloud to himself. “We both know what it is. I just...I hope she doesn’t get hurt” Denise says, genuinely caring for their Matriarch in ways that no Talon ever had. 

“Me too babe. Me too. I love you”.

“I love you too”.

**_Gold’s Toy Emporium, Downtown Gotham_ **

“I can’t believe this place still exists!”

Harleen was a ball of excitement and it was infectious. Bruce was smiling ear to ear, watching as her eyes roved over everything and anything. “It’s been open since the 1860s when Cyrus Gold came back from the Civil War. If it survived that? I don’t think it’s going anywhere”.

The blonde moves back to the man, looping her arm through his own and continuing to look around. “My mom brought me here once for my birthday. She told me I could pick out any toy I wanted. Anything. Know what I picked out?” she teases, waggling her eyebrow at him.

He found it more than humorous and couldn’t help but laugh. “No. What did you pick?”

“A stuffed bear you said had a stupid name” she teases back, reminding him of how they’d met in the park when they were young. “Ahh Bryan. He looks good after all these years. Think he’s happy on the dresser in our room?”

“Wellll...he probably doesn’t appreciate watching us go at it like we do but I think for the most part he’s happy” she says, the smile becoming a little sad. He knew it was because of her childhood, with the happy spots being few and far between.

‘Gotta break right on through. Focus her on the perfect now’.

“And now you get to pick out some toys for Barbara and Jason. Well...we do though I have no idea what they would like. Aside from superheroes for Barbara” he says, remembering the doll that Selina had bought the girl for their last meeting. 

Harleen smiles again, back to it being much brighter. “Yeah! You’re right. You’re right. This is our first Christmas with our babies” she begins, making to pull the cart into one of the first aisles. It was packed to the brim with people shopping, and even though he was Bruce Wayne they didn’t draw all that much attention.

“Any ideas?”

“Weeeellll….a few. Jason really likes building stuff. So I’m thinking legos. But we should also get him some other stuff, and Barbara really likes comic books. We can’t just get her comic books though. Maybe they have some superhero action figures and stuff. We can get her all the..what do you call them? Avengers! That’s right. She would be so happy to wake up Christmas morning and see them all under the tree, “assembled” she teases with her fingers in the air, “for her!”

Bruce is just watching her, leaning against the cart with a contented smile on his face. ‘I love her. I don’t even think she could understand how much’ he thinks, reflecting on the brightness that now existed in his life. Here he was, a gorgeous woman leading him through a toy store as they get ready to celebrate the most important holiday of the year. 

“What do you think Bruce? I think she’ll really like it”.

“I agree. Let’s go grab them before someone else does” he says, pushing the cart forward and navigating into the end of the aisle. She saddles up alongside of him, checking the shelves and biting her lip, deciding to take an opportunity to tease Bruce. “I already got you a few presents” she teases, rubbing his chest. 

“And what would those be?” he asks.

“Well, most of them are going to be beneath the tree of course silly, but a few others...I think we can start opening them tonight”.

She doesn’t give him a moment to react and instead just leans up to nibble on his ear. “I was thinking, since we’re so good at playing dress up already, some roleplay might be a little fun to try” she teases. Bruce felt his heartbeat quicken at the thought, and he already knew that whatever it was it was going to be kinky, and the last thing he needed to be was aroused in a toy store.

He was so distracted by the busty blonde looking up at him, that he didn’t notice the other cart until it was too late. The steel collides with the opposite cart, startling Bruce and Harley who look up instantly, apologies already on their lips.

“Bruce? Is that you?” a familiar voice asks, causing instant rage to shoot through Harleen’s body. “Selina? Ohh wow...I’m so sorry for bumping into you like that” Bruce says good naturedly, trying to hide the unease he felt whenever the woman looked at him with those piercing green eyes of hers. She brings a dainty hand up to her mouth, trying to cutely cover her laughter. “Well you literally did bump into me” she teases, moving forward a bit to reach up and peck the man’s cheek.

“How are you Bruce? It’s been a while since we last spoke. How is Barbara? Does she still play with that...what was it, ohh yes, Black Widow Barbie I got her? And have you given any consideration to my offer?”

Harleen’s eyes were glued on the woman’s hand, which rests against Bruce’s chest, idly rubbing up and down. ‘Easy Harleen. Easy. Murder is STILL bad, even if some floozy is touching your man in the middle of a toy store while shopping for presents for your babies’.

She stops for a moment, considering what she just said before narrowing her eyes at the dark haired woman. ‘Okay, murder might be okay in this instance, but we’re going to skip that and instead get her fucking hands off of him’.

She puts a false smile on her face and steps forward, offering out her hand and looking at the woman. “Hello Ms. Kyle. It’s nice to see you again” she says, seething through gritted teeth. Bruce was good at playing the vapid idiot, but he couldn’t hide his nervousness. Not even here.

“Ohh. Doctor Quinzel. Yes. Hello” Selina says dismissively, murder in her own eyes that gave away her intentions to the blonde woman. ‘Feelins’ mutual bitch’.

The two shake hands, both squeezing much harder than was necessary and inflicting a fair amount of pain on the other, but neither back down.

“Well...what brings you out here to Gold’s today Selina? Doing some special shopping?” Bruce asks, wanting to deescalate the situation. Selina turns to look at the man, dropping away from Harleen as she beams up at her intended lover. “Well actually, charity. I just came from a Toys for Tots drive thrown at the former Stagg, now Kyle Industries, I thank you very much, and well...the pickings were slim this year” she admits with a shrug. “Soooo...here I am about to drop a ton of money on toys to make up the deficit”.

“Well I guess that explains why you’re so well dressed” Bruce says with a laugh, Selina indeed being dressed quite well in a form fitting green dress with a matching coat which she’d undone while in the store. 

“Yes, well...I always like to look my best Bruce” she says, mentally trying to communicate her willingness to doll herself up for the man in front of her’s approval. “Though I envy those women who can just...go out with anything on” she teases, turning back to Harleen. “It must take some real confidence to just wear any old thing”.

It was a backhanded compliment, and Harleen took it for what it was. She couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed. She was wearing jeans, a t shirt and a jacket of her own, though much more utilitarian than stylish in contrast to Selina’s. She hated that she now lived in a world where wearing anything less than a thousand dollars in clothes was considered trashy. 

She could read the other woman though, and she could already see a weakness in how she interacted with Bruce and Barbara. 

She gives a smile, fake to Selina but genuine in what was behind it. “Yeah, I look a mess. Don’t I puddin’?” she teases, leaning into Bruce’s side and nuzzling against him. Bruce couldn’t help but roll his eyes and smirk, kissing the top of her head. “Yup. A grade a beautiful mess” he teases, not thinking of anything more than just telling Harley how he felt at that moment. He didn’t see how Selina’s knuckles turned white from gripping her shopping cart handle, nor the glare she threw at a winking Harleen.

The blonde slowly moves away from Bruce, though she keeps her hand and fingers laced through his. “But yeah, sorry about that. I would dress up more butttttt...well, when you’ve got so much going on. Especially with kids! Ohh gosh. I’m running this way and that with Barbara and Jason. Plus work, and then making sure my puddin’ knows how much mama loves him? It takes a lot out of a girl. Takes a real woman to do”.

“Does it now?”  
  


“Ohh yeah. Not everyone can get handed a multimillion dollar company, no offense Bruce” she says, interrupting her verbal cat fight to kiss the man’s cheek.

‘Is she saying….’ Selina fumes, trying to keep the bile down and her urge to slit the woman’s throat open right there. ‘Is she saying I’m not a real woman? That I wouldn’t be able to do anything she does but ten times better? Bitch. She doesn't know how wrong she is’.

“Well anyways, it was so nice to see you Selina” Bruce says, wanting to end this little unplanned and as far as he was concerned unfortunate meeting.

“Well, it’s always beyond a pleasure to see you Bruce” she says right back, not wanting this to end. ‘Even if I have to be near the blonde floozy, I need to be with him today’. She planned this all night. It was easy enough to guess that they would be going Christmas shopping soon, and she’d had a Talon listen in on the conversation within Wayne Manor.

It was hard, Bruce being hyper secure about his home naturally, but able to be done for a few moments. After she heard what needed to be heard, she’d pre planned everything. The fundraiser, her dress and even the words she’d say. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to be said now, not with Harleen there so closely, but any time spent with the evasive man was gold to Selina.

“Actually Bruce, I think...well...this is embarrassing” she says, coquettishly batting her lips and looking away before turning back. “But...I don’t really know what kids like. Seeing as you have two cuties of your own, I was wondering if maybe you’d help me a little”.

“Ohh well...we are shopping for Barbara and Jason” Bruce says, not seeing any easy way out of this and hating that he couldn’t strategize even more due to the fact that Harleen was glaring at him so fervently. “Excellent!” Selina says, already guessing at the answer being supplied.

“Now, tell me, what is it that little Bruce liked playing with growing up?” she teases, pulling her cart alongside the two, literally inserting herself as a third wheel. 

‘A little blonde girl. In a sandbox with her teddy bear and his tonka truck. Little Bruce was mine then and he’s mine now bimbo’ Harleen continues to seeth, trying to keep her cool through a hold on Bruce. She settles her mind by focusing on the toys. ‘Alright Harleen. Alright. Jason and Barbara...your babies. And Bruce’s babies too. Your’s and Bruce’s. Focus. Excellent first Wayne-Quinzel Christmas for them. Focus’.

It calmed her, but didn’t entirely quench her raging fire. It wasn’t helped that the woman was yammering on besides them. ‘This is gonna be a long day’ she thinks morosely, feeling that Selina Kyle had ruined what was supposed to be very special between the two of them.

**_Wayne Manor, Pamela’s Bedroom_ **

“Ivy, I have to get home, I can’t keep staying here sweetie” he says in protest as the shorter woman keeps moving him towards the bed. “Uhh yeah, you can. First, I’m not letting you out of my sight. Two? You need to rest. Three? I need rest, and I can’t rest until I know you’re rested, alright?” she says, pushing him gently into her bed. 

“Alright, alright” he says aloud, not being able to help himself as he yawns. “Still, it’s so early…” he begins.

“You need your rest. I’ll wake you up in a few hours to change your bandages” Ivy says. She’d helped him change into a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, desperate to keep him from being hurt. It had worked. Her gentle and soothing touch kept the pain at bay.

She herself had changed into a nightdress, a flimsy strapped one that left a lot of her body to his purview. He knew she did this on purpose, wanting to tease him a bit. It was working. He presses his head to the pillow and winces, his skin being sore under the cotton swabs and bandages.

“Are you okay sweetie?” the green skinned woman asks suddenly, moving onto the bed with her hand going to his face. “Yeah, yeah. Just...ohhhh” he moans suddenly, her hand having the same affect as she uses her natural plant based abilities to sooth his pain. She smiles down at him lovingly, an adoration he’d never seen in any woman’s eyes let alone an angel like Pamela’s. 

“Better?”

“Much” he says, his eyes closing as the pain recedes. It’s slowly replaced by another feeling of warmth, and then...a tightness. “Ohh…” he blushes, looking down to see that his pajama pants were now tented. “Holy crap…” he says to himself, feeling the throbbing in his member.

“Ohh...did I do that?” Pamela teases, laying on his chest to look down. “Pam, I’m sorry I…”.

  
“Shhh...shhhh shhh. It’s okay. It’s my fault sweetie. I did that on purpose” she explains, reaching down to take his member in her hands, cupping him and rubbing him through the pants. “Now...I want to make really sure..you’re not feeling any pain anymore right?” she asks, brushing her thumb over his head as he leans back in pleasure. She takes that opportunity to lean in and kiss his neck. “Not...an ounce”.

“Good, because I think it’s time I make sure you’re still functioning at optimum capacity” she teases, cooing while reaching down more to cup Harvey’s testicles in the palm of her hand. “Ohhh...mmm excellent Harvey. Excellent. Just leave it to nurse Pamela. We’ll get you all. Fixed. Up” she teases, loudly popping the “p” of up while also working on pushing his pants down. “Pamela..” he moans out. 

“Uhh ohh...is that any pain I hear?” 

She moves up and reaches towards the strap of her nightie, pushing it down slightly off of her shoulder and exposing a generous amount of cleavage and flesh to the man.

“Well, maybe a little nurse” he says, getting into it.

“That’s no good. Let’s get you focused on something else”.

“You have my full and rapt attention Pamela”.

Alfred managed to keep the children from bothering their aunt and uncle for the rest of the night, which was fortunate for all parties involved. Besides, the old man certainly enjoyed baking christmas cookies with the eager children, anticipating the arrival of their parents in all but name.

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“Enjoy the time you got left here Sharpe. You’ll be getting a padded room of your own” Doyle calls out as he moves past the man’s office. He didn’t stop though, the taunting being fun but not worth his time in the long run.

Inside the office however, Warden Quincy Sharpe was a quivering mess. 

He sat at his desk, practically shaking in fear at what lay ahead for him. The chances of him getting out of whatever mess Hill had gotten him in was miniscule. Impossible. He knew he was cornered.

The board was convening to vote on if he would be kept on as the Warden of Arkham, but he knew that it was a mere formality. He was already gone. No matter what he tried, he was trapped. Boxed in like a rat in a cage. 

He places his head in his hands and begins to cry. “This isn’t happening. How could they know? How could they possibly know?”

It was announced that the acting DA, a woman named Vanessa Graves, had taken over for Harvey Dent due to his injuries and the fact that he was most likely going to be mayor. She’d produced files and announced her intention to charge him with theft, racketeering and a whole host of other crimes. He knew that he would never get out of prison if...no...when, he was convicted.

“THAT BITCH!” he seethes.

“Quinzel. It had to be her. It had to. Nobody else could’ve snatched those files. Nobody. She wants this job! She wants it. She’s angling to get me out. She’s just like the….”.

“You’re spending too much time here in the looney bin. You’re starting to act like one of the inmates you spent years abusing”.

He turns in his chair, ready to face whoever had snuck into his office, but instead he comes face to face with something straight out of a nightmare. The woman was dressed all in black, a hideous mask covering her face. She tilts her head to the side and says “hoot hoot”.

He knows who it is, or at least he knows who she represents. 

“Who...who…”

“Shut the fuck up” she says, jumping in and slamming her hand over his mouth, pushing him back into the chair. “I’ve got important things going on and no time to waste on you. I’ve been ordered to kill you and I’d normally be a lot more thorough in taunting you and enjoying this but my son is sick and my husband is watching him...sooo...yeah”.

The woman turns the chair roughly and pushes it into the desk, effectively trapping the older man whos struggles vainly in her grasp. She grasps his hand and with the quickness of a lightning bolt deposits a pistol in it. His eyes widen as he recognizes it, and he makes to pull the trigger, hoping to either wound or kill his assailant or alert the outside world to his life being endangered so.

“Nope, not yet” she teases in a singsong voice, keeping his trigger finger pinned to the side of the barrel which served the added benefit of putting his fresh fingerprints on the weapon. “Gotta make this look like an accident” she teases further, slowly turning his fist with her superior strength. He begins to sweat and cry, his eyes as wide as saucers as the thirty eight special’s barrel is slowly turned on him.

“Say nighty night Sharpe” she says before the barrel is pointed directly at the man’s temple. She moves his finger onto the trigger and forces him to pull it, the round tearing into his brain matter and spilling it onto her, the wall behind her and the desk.

“Eww” she says, knowing that time was now of the essence.

Sharpe’s body falls forward, but she is able to keep a grip on his hand. Slowly she lowers it to the desk, making sure to stage the suicide perfectly. Just in time too.

Banging commences on the other side of the door.

“Sharpe? Yo Sharpe, not that I give a shit but, you okay? Sounded like a gunshot?”

“Better go” she whispers to the dead body before slipping out of the window, turning to give one last look into the darkness before hurling herself out into it. 

‘Gotta get myself clean before I get home’ Denise thinks to herself, tucking and rolling on the soft grass to break her fall.

‘Jakey needs a bedtime story, and it would be better if his mother wasn’t covered in blood while reading it to him’.

**_Outside of Gold’s Toy Store_ **

“Thank you so much Bruce...and Dr. Quinzel” Selina adds as an afterthought. They were standing outside of the store, watching as the massive amounts of toys that Selina had bought were loaded onto the back of a tractor trailer that she’d rerouted from Kyle Industries.

“Ohh, don’t thank me at all Selina. This was all your doing. Are you sure you don’t want to let me pay for any of this?” Bruce asks for the eighth time. She waves him off for the eighth time as well. “Pffft...no, no. You already did a massive toy drive this year. Or at least Wayne Enterprises did. If we’re going to be partners Bruce..” she says, loving how that word from her lips makes Harleen grimace. “Then we need to be equal, that means that I pull my own weight”.

“Well...Gotham appreciates it Selina. I’m sure that the kids of Gotham will at the very least”.

“Do you think so?” she asks, wide open and honest eyes. She craved his attention, his praise and his respect. They were the steps of the ladder that she would build to his heart, and she was eager to construct them out of any material available and in any way she had to.

“I know so. Every kid deserves a Christmas” he teases, they themselves holding multiple bags filled with toys. Barbara and Jason were going to have a very good Christmas. Harleen smiled down at them, knowing that she had picked each toy with the kids in mind. When they got to the checkout she had wanted to pay for it all, not caring that it would leave her bank account empty for a month.

Bruce wouldn’t have it though.

_“Bruce, you can’t always be paying my way!”_

_“Watch me” he teased her, swiping his card before she had a chance to stop him. She pouted at him and sighed. “I just don’t want you to think that I’m only with you for the money puddin”._

_He had held her close and kissed her, brushing his thumb over her cheek in a way that made the cashier checking them out blush and look away._

_“Would you love me if I was poor?” he asked, seemingly out of nowhere, though the conviction and softness in his eyes convinced her that he had a point to make._

_“As long as you’re still Bruce Wayne, with or without money, I’ll always love you”._

_“Then you have my answer on what I think”._

Harleen couldn’t wipe the smile from her face, nor still the rapid beating of her heart. She cast a look over at a sullen looking Selina, apparently not having received the validation she’d wanted. ‘Well Ms. Priss, looks like you didn’t ruin my night after all’.

She smiles at the man, casting open glances up at him every second she got. ‘Every day is a good day beside you’.

“Well...it is unfortunately getting late. We have to get home. Barbara will inevitably be waiting for us to come and tuck her in” Bruce says, dropping a hint on the other woman. Selina frowns but apparently doesn’t know of anything she could say or do to prevent the man from going home. 

“Yes it is rather late isn’t it?” Selina asks before moving forward and placing a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “Don’t forget our appointment tomorrow Bruce. We really need to discuss the future of our companies”.

“Of course. I’ll see you then Selina” he says, trying to remain polite. The woman moves forward again and kisses his cheek, though this time it was much closer to his lips for comfort. At least for Harleen’s comfort.

“Goodnight Bruce..” she says quietly, remaining close to allow her breath to tickle against his lips. Abruptly though, she turns and walks away, her heels clicking on the pavement. 

She didn’t say goodbye to Harleen, and that suited the doctor just fine. When she was out of ear shot Bruce turns to her and opens his mouth, an act Harleen just prevents by placing her pointer over his lips. She turns and sighs. “I know ya gotta be polite. I don’t like it, but I know it’s what you have to do. I don’t blame you. I hate her. She’s suspicious. She’s up to something. We’re going to investigate. Capische?”

Without moving her finger from his lips he nods, reaching up to take her hand in his own to trail feather light kisses over her palm and digits. The anger is gone and she just wants to melt into a puddle of goo instead. “You’re not...jealous are you?” he teases, stating the obvious.

“Yeah. So? What about it?” she asks defensively.

He shrugs and pulls her close, beginning to walk the two of them back to his porsche that he’d parked across the street. “Ohh, no reason” he teases. “Just..well…”.

“Well what? Spit it out puddin. I’m not in too much of a mood for word games”. 

“Well..two things I guess” he continues, placing the bags within the vehicle first. “One of them is that you have absolutely nothing to be jealous or worry about” he says, leaning in to position the bags evenly, which served to slightly muffle his voice. Harleen leans against the car, her sour mood returning as her thoughts move back to the rich woman who seemed to be able to raise her womanly hackles so effectively. 

“And why is that?”

“I have a type” Bruce admits. “And she doesn’t fit it. At all”.

“And what’s your type?” the woman asks her boyfriend, a little suspiciously as if daring him to say the wrong words. “Ohh hard to match up to. Practically impossible. I demand perfection in the woman I want” he says, moving back out of the car to place his hands on her waist. She lets out a little “eeep” of shock as he crushes her body to his.

“Want me to describe the perfect woman for me to you?” he asks, making her feel that their traditional roles had switched for the moment. She didn’t mind at all. She just nods weakly. “Go for it”.

“Well, she has this gorgeous blonde hair” he teases, running his fingers through her blonde locks. She wears it in a bun sometimes, which is beautiful as well, but I love it even more when she undoes it and wears it down, or even in a ponytail”.

He goes on, looking deep into her eyes. “She has these beautiful deep blue eyes. Like the Carribean sea. Soft, loving, gentle eyes. They show me the beautiful soul inside” he admits. “They’re kind of like a lighthouse to me. Whenever the darkness overwhelms me, and I feel like I’m going to sink in it...those eyes...they lead me home”.

Harley was focused entirely on the man and she melded into his touch. “What else about her?” she says, hating how needy she sounded at that moment. Bruce didn’t care though. If she was going to be needy, he’d let her be needy of him. “She has these pouty lips that are always either laughing or being kind. Even when they’re in a frown, they’re the sweetest things to taste” he says, leaning in and taking her lips between his own. 

Her hand goes up to his face, caressing him as he uses his words to do the same to her. He pulls away, wanting to continue. “She has the most beautiful body I’ve ever seen” he says, waggling his eyebrows and making her laugh. “She has a cute little butt, but..well...I’m much more partial to the magnificent chest she has”.

She blushes at that, ripening like a tomato. Bruce had never been so...so...open before. 

…..She absolutely loved it.

“But...all of that? It doesn’t mean much compared to what’s inside. She’s smart, cunning, beautiful. She let two orphans into her heart and accepted them as if they were her own without a second thought. She’s a doctor that treats those society has abandoned, and she doesn’t give up on anyone. She’s also certifiably insane in that she dresses up like a bat and jumps off of buildings beside me to fight for this city. She laughs at every bad pun and joke, she loves life and all that means, and I love her for it in a way I couldn’t ever really put into words. I think she needs to stop being jealous when she’s the only woman I see”.

She nods, unable to talk at that particular moment. She was to the point of tears, happy tears. She’d never felt this...this...loved. Adored. And she’d most certainly never loved a man as much as she loved Bruce. This was insane. All of it.

‘A mad love’ she thinks, knowing that if she were to write their romance as a novel that that would be the title. 

“Now, how about we get in the car, and go home. Barbara is still waiting for that story” he teases, moving to the side to help her into the passenger seat. She’s led along, almost numbed by his words but she was content. Happy. More than happy.

He gets into the driver’s side and closes the door, turning the key in the ignition. “My..hmm...my mom called me back” she admits, letting him pull the vehicle out onto the main road. “Ohh yeah?”

“Uhhmm..she really wants to meet you. And I...really need to talk to her”.

“Want to bring Jason and Barbara?” he asks with a quirked eyebrow. “Maybe next time. For now I want to settle things between us. Say what I need to say and all”.

He reaches across the seat to take her free hand, squeezing it tightly. “Whenever you want Harleen. I’m there”.

“Thank you” she mouths quietly before she remembers something. “You said there were two things...what was the other?”

“Ohh the other…” Bruce trails off, looking away at the road for a moment, apparently their situations reversing back to Harleen holding the power of flirtation. “Uhhuhh mister. You spill the beans”.

“Kind of...hot…”

“What? I can’t hear you when you’re mumbling” she repeats, crossing her arms under her chest to emphasize what Bruce liked. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, which was partly dangerous considering that they were in a car. The risk was mitigated by Bruce’s skills at multitasking and at the lateness of the night.

“You being jealous...it was...very...alluring” he admits. 

Harleen understands what he’s driving at and blushes, leaning forward to rub his thigh. “Well...I’m still jealous sweetie. Maybe we should get home and you should give me three good reasons to not be jealous before we go out on patrol”.

“Hmm...I have a few convincing arguments to put up”.

“Good. I want to hear them Brucey boy”.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is kind of a filler chapter with some holiday themed smut. Sorry if it's not so good. Probably shouldn't have written after having such a bad day. Anyways, I hope it's at least entertaining. Fair warning, things are going to start really moving.

**_Arkham Asylum, Office of Warden Quincy Sharpe, Deceased_ **

“Alright just, secure a perimeter until the coroner gets here” Montoya says, taking another drag on her cigarette. “Nobody in or out. Mind helping my boys out with that...umm..sorry, didn’t catch your name” she intones, looking at the Arkham security man standing besides her.

“Doyle”.

“Ahh Doyle, well..you were the first one to see the body right?”

“Uhhmm and I already told that fat fuck detective of yours all I saw. If you’re going to waste both of our times by asking me again? Screw off. If you’re asking for my opinion…”.

Before he can continue Montoya cuts him off with a simple and succinct, “I’m not”.

It doesn’t deter the guard however, who just crosses his arms under his chest and keeps talking. “Bastard got what was coming to him” he finishes. “You realize talk like that makes you a suspect right?” she says with a teasing smile.

“If everyone who hated this piece of shit is a suspect then ninety five percent of the asylum is in that group. Besides, you guys saw the cameras. I got here just as the piece of shit blew his own brains out”.

Montoya just shrugs, having already gone over the security tapes that confirm the man’s story. “Relax Doyle. Relax. We’ll be looking into this. Pedazo de mierda or not, still isn’t all that great to have a murderer running around Gotham. We still got a job to do...unfortunately”.

“Find him, or don’t. Not my problem. All I know is that with him gone, this Asylum might get an actual doctor in charge. My votes for Harleen Quinzel”.

The name was instantly recognizable to her but she doesn’t let it show and instead throws the butt of her cigarette out onto the floor and steps down on it, crunching it into the tile. Doyle apparently didn’t have much else to say to the acting head of the GCPD. It was all up in the air right now, but it was rapidly becoming clear that she was going to become the police commissioner. It wasn’t because nobody else was better qualified for the job, there were tons of much more experienced cops.

The issue was that nobody else WANTED the job. Too much effort, and with Falcone and Hill either gone or on their way out the door? It just didn’t seem as lucrative anymore either. 

‘So...that leaves me’ she thinks to herself, waiting by the door and leaning against the wall. 

  
“Smoking is bad for you ya know?”

The voice makes her smile, being instantly recognizable to her. “Your boyfriend told me the same thing not too long ago” she says, turning and moving into the room that was now a crime scene. She gave one last glance to ensure that nobody was looking before closing the door, knowing that the coast was indeed clear.

“Well he’s right. Now I’m tellin’ ya. You should quit” Batwoman says looking over the desk and speaking at the same time, bending over at just the right angle to give Montoya a look at her pert rear end so perfectly highlighted by her suit. “Montoya” Batman growls, seeing the look that the woman was giving his girlfriend. 

‘Sorry Bats. Can’t help it’.

“Batman. I figured you two would show up” she says while keeping her distance, allowing the two space to conduct their investigation. “You sent it out over the police scanner” he says.

“Yeah, I meant to. Don’t exactly have your telephone number”.

“Hmmm”.

“Something is off here about the body” Batwoman says, the blonde moving up and around the back of the desk, grimacing at the massive hole in the side of the man’s head. ‘I hated you Sharpe. You were an utter piece of shit. But you didn’t deserve this…’.

“What do you mean?” Montoya asks, suddenly interested.

“She’s talking about the blood spatter” Batman explains, watching as Harley picks up Sharpe’s hand, careful to maintain a firm grip while keeping the pistol in his hand.

“Hey, careful...we might get some prints off…”.

“You won’t find any other than Sharpes. We already ran a quick in field diagnostic. Still, have your men back at GCPD go over it again. See if we missed something”.

Montoya couldn’t help but smirk, leaning on a radiator and enjoying the warmth that was rare in this old drafty building. “The great Batman? Miss something?”

“Been known to happen” Batwoman interjects. “He’s a busy man”. The blonde vigilante steps back and looks at the wall behind her while placing the muzzle of the pistol back at the entry point on the man’s temple. She looks from the wound to the wall and back again. 

“There’s a missing chunk of blood”.

“What?”

“Exactly what I said...a missing chunk of blood. On the wall behind ole’ Sharpe here” she says, dropping the man’s limp body and looking at the scene. “Batman...stand here, right behind the body”.

The man moves forward, planting his feet right behind the chair while Harleen looks and shakes her head. “No..no...not right. Not right. Too tall and your shoulders are too broad handsome...I wonder if…”.

She moves forward and gently taps him on the shoulder, gesturing for him to move. He does so, wanting to see the end of the woman’s reasoning. He swaps places with her and judges the imprint of blood on the walls behind her. 

“Alright, seeing what I’m seeing?”

“Yes. Lean down a little”.

Harleen does so, acting as if she was slightly hunched over the man. “Hmm”. Montoya was already confused, and too eager to have their answer to whatever was going on. “What? What’s hmmm mean?”

“He does it when he’s deep in thought” Batwoman supplies before frowning, not moving from her position. “Yeah, it annoys the crap out of me too” she explains. 

“The blood spatter was blocked by something” he says, pretending to not hear the woman’s words. “Someone was standing right behind him when he was shot”.

“So you don’t believe this was a suicide?” Montoya asks.

Bruce’s only response is to further outline the blood spatter. “No. I don’t. Whoever it was effectively blocked a good part of the wall from being covered in blood. Meaning that whoever it was had blood on them. Thanks to Batwoman we know that the killer was most likely a woman”.

“Aww gee thanks Batman!” Harleen says enthusiastically. “Can I move now? My back is starting to tighten up” she says. “Yes”.

She lets out a sigh as she straightens out, stretching and biting her lip. “Ahh yeah, that feels better”.

“Well...do you have anything else to back up your theory?” the Lieutenant asks. “I mean, no offense, but we need a little more proof than…”.

  
Batman reaches forward and grasps the man’s hand, retracting the sleeve a bit as he does to showcase a dark bruise on his wrist. It seemed to be an almost perfect thumb imprint. What was even more interesting was a slight cut that was slightly down from the bruise. “Whoever did this held a firm grasp on his hand. There’s another bruise on his finger where his assailant was able to force his movements”.

“Batman...whoever did this was wearing gloves with something sharp on the end of the fingers”.

Bruce looks up at the female vigilante and nods, their conclusions already running parallel. “Do you know who did this?” Montoya asks.    
  
Batman stands up straight and nods. “We have an idea”.

“Well who is it then?”

“We...well, what we’re trying to say is...we can’t tell ya right now as we don’t know exactly who they are”.

“What the hell do you mean? You just said…”.

“I said that we have an idea as to who is behind this murder” Batman says, casting another critical eye about the room. ‘Hmm...nothing was taken. Nothing seems out of place’. Montoya calms, not liking that the stress was already making her crack just a bit. “Alright, alright. Who is behind this then? Generally speaking”.

“Do you believe in urban legends?”

The question caught her off guard and she wasn’t exactly sure how to respond or even how that question could possibly relate to the dead body in front of them. ‘Take a leap of faith Renee’.

“Well, not really but then again I am letting two unknown vigilantes who dress as bats assist me against the wishes of the rest of the department in solving crimes so, I might not be adverse to believing if you let me know what it is”.

“Beware the Court of Owls, who watches all the time, sitting upon their perch, behind granite and lime”.

Montoya looks at Batwoman, not recognizing the poem for a moment. It clicks though, and she remembers her uncle Ricky telling them about the secret society that rules Gotham one a snowy Christmas eve. “Huh...you’re telling me, you think a group of bad guys from a nursery rhyme is real?” she asks.

“We don’t think. We know. We’ve faced them once before” Batman says. “Do you remember the docks? When a shipload of children was intercepted coming into Gotham”.

“Yeah, someone tipped us off. We assumed it was one of the dock workers” Montoya says. 

  
“Nope!” Harleen says excitedly. “It was me. It was my first night and I was a little worried. Stage fright. So I figured it would be nice for us to have some backup”.

“Ahh. That’s the first thing you two have said all night that makes any sense. You’re telling me that the Court of Owls is behind that? What would they want with a bunch of kids?”

“To train them” Batman supplies, turning and looking at the hispanic woman. “Turn them into weapons. Enforcers in their army”.

“Wait...all those missing kids...I...do you guys work with someone named Vic?” she begins. “A Vic Sage? He’s an investigative reporter and he asked me for a bunch of files on missing kids. I never found out what came of that. Only heard a little bit from him as of late”.

Batman and Batwoman look at one another curiously, though it clicks in both of their minds almost at the exact same time. Montoya could sense from their body language that they had been working with someone close to her, but apparently they hadn’t known his identity. 

‘Vic...what have you gotten into?’

Batman is the first to recover and he turns to look at her though it was clear he had no intention of answering her question. “We’ll keep you updated on what we find. There isn’t anything else here. Whoever it was was thorough, and their tracks end at the ridgeline on the outskirts of the Asylum grounds”.

“Woah, wait, you saw something outside?”   
  


“Just footprints in the mud” Batwoman supplies. “We didn’t really know what to make of them until now, but they start just under the window and like he said, end right at the woods. Whoever was here was able to do a fifteen to twenty foot jump with no problem. It takes training to do that”.

“Yeah...it does…”.

The trio are silent now, not sure of how to end this conversation though Batman had something to say to the woman. “Here” he begins, reaching into his belt and retracting a small square device. “What is it?”

Montoya takes it in her hands and looks it over, finding a dark bat symbol etched into the plastic in the back. “It’s a way to get in touch with me. Untraceable”.

“Pfft...party pooper” she teases, sticking out her tongue at the Batman before returning her gaze to the item. “You just click that ole’ button there, and we’ll be on our way to wherever ya want us!”.

“Well thank you..” Renee says, not really sure of how to voice her concerns. She wants to hand it back, a part of her mind telling her to do exactly that. But still...Batman and Batwoman could do things and go places that she couldn’t. They’d be more than an asset to Gotham city.

Aside from that? She trusted them.

She places the device into her pocket, vowing to use it only if necessary. “Alright. But look, this little...partnership of ours? We’ve got to keep it under wraps. The department is already grumbling about me “professionalizing” everything” she emphasizes with air quotes. “Which really means they don’t like it that I’ve been cutting off their bribery and other such bullshit. They really won’t like it if they find out that I’m working with you two. I’m on thing ice so…”.

“We get it. Not a word in the monthly Bat Newsletter about us teaming up with the big bad Lieutenant Montoya” Harleen teases, crossing her arms under her chest. 

“Har har…”.

A beeping sound emanates through the office and Batman moves to click it off, apparently the source being from some sort of object on his belt. “Batwoman. We should head back”.

“Ohh ohh right! Right!” she says excitedly. “Goodnight Lieutenant. Sorry but we have an...uh...bat thing” she says, following the man as he moves towards the window and jumps up into the frame. He casts a critical glance back at the woman who smiles and bites her lip, looking away. “Thank you for your trust Lieutenant”.

Batman then disappears, with those words being his last to the darker skinned woman. Batwoman joins him, having much more of an air for the dramatic as she gives a little salute before backflipping through the window and into the darkness. Montoya moves forward and looks out onto the now empty grass, illuminated only by the ambient light of the windows of the asylum. 

She reaches up and pulls the window frame down, shaking her head in amusement. “Well...at least someone out there knows what they’re doing” she says to herself.

‘And you got another glimpse of that cute butt’.

**_Across the Asylum_ **

Dick couldn’t sleep.

So instead he did what he normally did. He just looked at the ceiling and smiled, secure in the knowledge that this would all be over soon. ‘Soon Papa Joker and Mama Batgirl and I will be all together. One happy family’ he thinks.

That’s all he could focus on and it was beginning to take its toll on the well meaning doctors who were trying to help him, Dr. Joan Leland among them. He didn’t like her, but he liked her more than he did Harleen Quinzel.

The smile drops from his face at the thought of the irritating blonde woman. ‘Those deep blue eyes pretending to care. So much like Dick Grayson’s mom’. He had begun to shutter his past into a completely different person. He wasn’t Dick Grayson. Not anymore. Now? He was the Jester. 

‘I wonder what Papa Joker is up to now?’.

He didn’t have to wait long for an answer. A noise begins which slowly captures his attention. He sits up in his bed and throws his legs over the side, shivering a bit as his bare feet meet the cold tile floor. The noise continues, growing louder and louder, but its source also became quite clear. 

Dick moves down onto his knees and scuttles to the wall, pressing his ear against the steel grate that hid closed off the wall and provided him heat. “Hello?”

“Yoohoo!” a voice shouts back as Joker appears in the vent. Dick was a little startled, and he jumps back in fear but that fear quickly dissipates as soon as he sees who it was. “Papa Jok…” he begins to shout before remembering not to be too loud and draw the attention of the guards.

“Papa Joker...you came back” he whispers instead.

“Well of course I did kiddo. Why would you ever think I’d leave you?” the man teases, his mouth twisted into his usual menacing smile.

“I don’t know. I guess it’s kind of boring in here and they keep telling me that you’re not my dad”.

“Aww now why would those meanies in those white coats say such a silly thing?” Joker asks. “It takes more than being the fruit of me own loins to make you my boy...my boy!” the man says which causes Dick to laugh. The Joker said a lot of things that he didn’t quite understand, but they sounded hilarious all the same.

“Now...tell papa what naughtiness you got up to when we were separated?”

“Ohh...I just killed a hobo. He offered me food but I was told never to take candy from strangers so I stabbed him and then took the food. It was a fig newton. I like figs”.

“That a boy! That’s the stuff. Must’ve been hilarious. I could only imagine that poor bum’s face when he saw you little Jester. My own minion of madness. Sorry I couldn’t come after ya” he says, appearing suddenly crestfallen. “Batman and his henchwench stopped me. Otherwise I woulda been there to celebrate your very first birthday”.

“Hey, don’t talk about Batwoman like that!” Jester hisses.

“And why not?” Joker asks angrily.

“Because she’s my mommy”.

“And what would make you go and say a ridiculous thing like that little buckeroo?” Joker asks, genuinely curious about the developments of his protege. “Because she was there with you on my birthday”.

“Hmmm...well, I’m afraid I’ve already got my eye on a delightful little number to make your mommy slugger. And from what I hear, you already met her!” he says. “What do you think of Harley Quinzel?”

“She’s boring. Asks dumb questions and doesn’t smile at any jokes I make. It’s like she doesn’t think exploding kittens are funny”.

“Well, everyone is a critic Jester” Joker says before smiling even wider. “But don’t you worry. We’re going to turn her frown upside and you’ll see that she’s utterly perfect for the mayhem we have planned. Who knows, maybe we’ll get right to work on making you a murderous little baby brother or sister”.

“I guess” Jason says non committedly, still dead set on turning the Batwoman to their ways.

“Now...we have to make plans for a little father son bonding time” the man moves on, not willing to explain the intricacies of why they had to corrupt Harleen Quinzel. ‘A man has to have a challenge, and a woman who is already insane enough to jump off building dressed as a bat is too easy’ he chuckles in his mind. 

“Yay! I’ve wanted you to teach me some stuff papa. So do I get to come down there now?” Dick asks excitedly. “Ohh no. You don’t want to come down here. You’ll float! We all float down here”.

Dick just look askance at the man, not understanding the reference he was making at all. “Eh, maybe before your time. Anyways, no, no no no you have to focus on pretending to be a good little boy for that annoying Doctor Leland while I get all that we need for our first party here at Gotham together”.

“Aww..”.

“Don’t be so down little guy. Tell you what, if you behave for a little while, eat all your vegetables and take your baths and vitamins, I’ll let you carve a permanent smile on Doctor Leland’s face. That way? She’ll allllways laugh at your jokes from now on”.

“Promise?”

“Ohh I promise little pal” Joker teases, pressing his pinky through the grate. The little boy with the ghostly white skin wraps his own pinky around the digit, sealing the fatherly promise to the boy. 

“Now, get some sleep little J. We have a lot to keep talking about, and keep this little meeting to yourself alright?” Joker teases. “Otherwise they’ll find out about these little caves that are going to make things so much fun for all of us! Ohh we’re going to make so many friends soon”.

“Yeah? That sounds fun”.

Joker’s smile increases in size and in the capacity of violence it promised behind it. “Ohh yeah. It’s going to be a lot more than just fun. In fact, it’s going to be a regular laugh riot!”

**_Wayne Manor, Master Bedroom_ **

She had secreted herself in the connected bathroom for a few moments, trying to prepare herself both physically and mentally. She was rattled by the revelation that the Court was still out there, though she had never really thought they’d disappeared. 

‘They kicked our asses something pitiful last time’ she thinks applying the red lipstick to her lips and puckering them afterwards, wanting to ensure that she covered the entirety of her mouth. Bruce was worried to, though she knew that he was more worried about her than himself, as usual. 

_ “For tonight...look, we don’t have any leads to follow. We both have busy days tomorrow too and we won’t be able to get what we need done if we’re exhausted. I think busting up three carjackings and one drug dealer is enough for the night” she had said from the passenger seat of the batmobile.  _

_ Bruce didn’t respond, not right then. _

_ “Sweetie..” she begins, rubbing his arm. “We’re parents now. I know we haven’t exactly used that word yet, and maybe I’m being premature but...we have to be there for them too. It’s not only the bat symbol now. We read them a bedtime story before we left, true, but we also should be there when they wake up to start their day”. _

That had done it. She’d managed to convince the Batman to put a sane limit on their patrols. When they’d gotten back to Wayne Manor, Alfred was waiting for them there, informing them that everyone aside from themselves was asleep. 

_ “Thank you Alfred. Now you..” Harleen teased, poking the older man’s chest. “Go get some sleep yourself. Doc’s orders”. _

_ “And as for you” she turned on Bruce, advancing on the man before kissing him passionately. “Go get showered and changed, and wait in bed for me. It’s your first day of Christmas tonight lover boy”. _

She reaches for the side of the sink and picks up the santa hat she’d bought before perching it on her head, pulling the sides around to ensure that it covered her but left her hair out to peak out from under the white trim of the edges. She looks down at her ensemble, loving the green little boots she wore for how soft they were, but enjoying how the unitard fit to her body.

“Ohh mama, you are hot stuff” she teases herself in the mirror, turning to the side and admiring her body. Her hands move up and down, testing and probing to get a glimpse or feel of how Bruce would experience it. The unitard was red in color, with a white trim around the fabric at her thighs and the top of her chest. It was strapless and very easy to get off, exposing a fair amount of skin. It was a little small around her chest though that was intentional. 

‘Lets see itty bitty titty Selina try and beat this’ she gloats at her non-present personal enemy. “Okay. Barbara and Jason are in bed, cuddled up as snug as a bug in a rug. Pam and Harvey are also snuggled up, though it’s nude and together in their case. My only chore that isn’t a chore at all that’s left? Getting Bruce to relax.

In their bedroom Bruce was seated on their bed, wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants. He didn’t know what to make of Harley’s bossiness when coming back to the manor, but he did know that she was spooked. ‘Whatever is going on with the owls...we’ll find a way to stop them’ he promises resolutely. ‘But for now...she’s right. There’s nothing we can do. We need to rest and take this slow. Prepare for them’.

“Harley” he calls out into the joined bathroom. “Are you coming to bed?”

Harleen smiles at herself and gives one last appraisal. “Comin’ puddin’!”

She opens the door and slowly steps into the room, peaking around the corner first. “Ohh, looks like someone’s still awake” she teases, deciding to get into character. “Well of course I am” he chuckles, not able to see the rest of her body as it was hidden behind the door. “What’s with the santa hat?”

“So you don’t recognize me?” she teases, loving how clueless her boyfriend was at that moment. Before he could answer she steps out and fully exposes her ensemble to him. Bruce’s words die on his lips, and he can only look on slack jawed at her approach. She sways her hips, taking an excruciating long time to get to the bed. ‘Ohh puddin’, I’m going to win the oscar for acting as much as I can in our bedroom’.

She moves onto the bed, her hands laying with their palms out on either side of his legs while she crawls upwards in a very felinesque way. She rests atop him, the tip of her nose touching his own while his hands move to her waist. He begins to rub, enjoying how the material feels and enjoying how her fit but still full flesh felt underneath it.

“I hope you don’t mind me sneaking down the chimney Bruce” she giggles, kissing his cheek and resting her weight against the man. “But I just had to see you”.

“Let me guess...you’re Mrs. Claus?” Bruce teases, a wry smile on his lips as he catches onto Harley’s game. “Very good Brucey baby! Very good” she murrs out, kissing along his forehead. “I came here allll the way from the North Pole. Any idea why?”.

Her hands begin to move over his chest, loving how his peak of perfection male body felt under her touch. He lets out a pleasured groan as her hand brushes over his pec, and he takes the initiative in returning the favor by moving his hands to cup the round and pert globes of her rear. She wiggles her butt in his hands, allowing the fabric of her unitard to wedge a little bit between her cheeks, which in turn only allowed him to get at even more of her. 

“Oh Harley...I mean, Mrs. Claus” Bruce says, moving to fix his faux paus. “I have no idea”.

“Well, let me illuminate it for you then cutie” she says while nuzzling her face in his neck and lewdly licking at at his skin. “It’s actually Ms. Claus right now, and I’ve come to find my Mr. Claus”.

“And you think that might be me?”

“I know it’s you puddin” she says, squirming and biting her lips as one of his hands moves a little lower, gently pressing at her womanly flower through the thing strip of fabric that kept it from his touch. He moves his pointer up and down, traversing her crevice with practiced ease. ‘Ohh god...I’m already soaking’.

“It...it most certainly is” she reiterates, trying to get back on track through the hazy fog of her lust. “You see, you’ve been a very, very good boy. Helping people, being nice. You even like buying all those presents for the other good little boys and girls”.

Her hand begins to move up and down his body, settling on his stomach while she rubs at his abs. “Hmm, not exactly the belly that a Santa Claus should have, but some more of my cooking will straighten that right out. Though...maybe we should keep you this way for just a little while longer”.

At that moment, Bruce pulls the bottom of her unitard to the side, allowing him an easier unfettered access to her wet and dripping flower. “And do I get a present from you then Ms. Claus?” he teases, moving his pointer into her and curling it upwards in a “come hither” motion. It instantly hits at a very sensitive spot for her, causing a unrestrained moan to escape her lips. 

“You do. For being the bestest..ohh yes baby right there, keep going, boy on my nice list. But right now? You’re acting...very, very naughty”.

“Does that mean you want me to stop?” he asks.

She shakes her head vigorously, smirking at the man who she knew by his eyes was close to his own limits when it came to her teasing. “No” she whispers in his ear. “You have tonight to be as naughty with me as possible”. She punctuates her words by gently nibbling on his ear lobe. “Well...alright then”.

Suddenly his grip on her waist becomes stronger, and she feels herself flipping around as the man effectively switches positions with her. He presses his face into the valley of her exposed cleavage, pressing her breasts inwards on him with his hands on the sides. “Ohh yes! Bruce!” she moans out.

He keeps going, urged on by the intensity of her voice and the frequency of her moand. “You like my tits don’t you Bruce?” she teases while threading her fingers through his hair. She reaches back, clenching and unclenching her fingers in the sheets as he continues his two pronged assault on her womanhood and breasts. 

With his other free hand he pulls her unitard down, exposing them fully to his ministrations. His lips attach to her nipple as soon as he has the opportunity, and the pink and erect bud into his mouth. “Hnng...puddin’, easy..they’re..unnnnf...sensitive”.

All she gets in return is an animalistic grunt of pure lust that speaks to her core in a primal way. Her tit is released, though his hands move up to grope her while his body moves downwards. She places her hands over his, urging him on despite her pleas from before. “Squeeze them baby! How...how do you do this to me?”

Her words fall on deaf ears as Bruce has reached his intended destination, and his breath was impacting against her labia, increasing the moisture. She notices that instantly, and cranes her head to look down at the man. “Bruce…”. She threads her fingers through his over her chest, absolutely loving the eye contact that they shared whenever they sated themselves in one another.

Without a second’s delay, Bruce presses forward, the tip of his tongue replicating the actions of his finger from mere moments. Harleen throws her head back onto the bed almost violently, tossing and turning as Bruce adds more of his tongue into her, moving, curling and twisting this way and that.

‘I’ll never get tired of that’ she moans out mentally, having been shocked at how much Bruce loved performing cunnilingus on her. He took to it with gusto, holding nothing back in every time he did it. Even now he was burying his face within her as much as possible, his lips sealing around her own lower ones to create a vacuum from which his tongue ventured in and out with ease.

This was how he conquered her, by mapping and tasting every part of her walls. 

He didn’t let any of her escape the purview of his senses as he eagerly lapped up her love juices while inhaling her scent, freshly shower and trimmed, through the small thatch of blonde hair she kept just above her vagina. 

She was slowly losing her sanity only moments after he’d begun, and she knew that she’d never be able to hold back, especially not when he began to move his lips in such a way as to mimic a more orthodox kiss. She arches her back and presses upward against his face, practically grinding against him to the point that she wasn’t sure if he could breath.

The cavewoman part of her brain wouldn’t let her care about that right at that time however, so focused was she on her impending orgasm. It came rapidly, and she felt herself practically let lose with the power of a hose, all pressure that had slowly been building within her released in a single instance. Her first thought was rather silly in retrospect, seeing as Bruce seemed to swallow up everything she had to offer him.

‘At least Alfred won’t have an issue putting these sheets in the wash’ she thinks, her back straightening as she falls to the bed, leaving Bruce to continue licking her now sensitive and raw womanhood, special attention being paid to her clitoris as usual. He pulls away, licking his lips and collecting all her remaining residue before he leans back in and places one last kiss on her swollen lips. 

“Well Ms. Claus, you certainly taste as sweet as a candy cane” he teases, reminding Harley that they were roleplaying.

She moves up on the back on her elbows, watching with wide and eager eyes as Bruce sits on his knees and pushes his pajama pants down, exposing his rigid member which bobs in the air. ‘Ohh no...he looks angry’ she thinks, commenting on how Bruce’s prick seemed to throb. “Ohh Bruce..that seems a lot bigger than the North Pole” she teases, allowing him to position herself between her legs which she eagerly spreads in anticipation of his arrival.

“Well”. He takes his member in his own hands, giving it a few eager tugs to ensure that he was ready. “Let’s just see if we can make a Christmas miracle then” he teases, playing along with her feigned nervousness. After all, she very well knew that Bruce fit inside of her. ‘Snug as a bug’.

She reaches out, caressing his midsection as the man slaps himself down on her pussy which still hadn’t recovered from the intense oral assault. 

“Ohhh yeah puddin’” she moans, seeing him slide the tip into her which caused her to drop her act. “Rev up your Harley even more!”

**_Apartment of Vic Sage, Gotham City_ **

She runs the brush through her hair, wanting to at least look slightly presentable to the man she was now sharing a home with. The move had gone easily, her not wanting to take much of her stuff to her boyfriend’s apartment anyway.

“Just the essentials” she had said.

She places the brush down on his sink, looking into the mirror to see how she looked. “You’re going to be a mother”. The words settle in her gut, right above where their little love child was growing at that very moment. She liked that term. Love child. It made her feel better about the predicament.

‘Sorry sweetie’ she says, rubbing her belly. ‘Don’t mean to call you a predicament, but I’d rather you have come a little later. Don’t worry though. It’ll be okay’. She knew that the baby within her was barely more than a zygote at this point, but that didn’t matter to her. She talked to him or her regardless, lovingly. 

Vic did too.

‘Vic’. The thought of her boyfriend made her smile. He really had been a model man in regards to their little….blessing. Yes. She much preferred that word. Their little surprise blessing. She stands up and looks down at her nightie, something that he had bought her after finding out that slept in the buff mostly. 

“It gets cold sometimes here” he had said. “Landlord is a little cheap. So please, wear something”.

“Hmm, but don’t I just have you to cuddle up with now?”

She exits the bathroom and into their living room/bedroom, the apartment not being so large but still it was in a much better state than her own. While hers was dirty, Vic’s was immaculate, almost spotless. The only thing she could say was untidy was the board that contained all his theories and ideas.

She didn’t mind. Not at all.

The redhead was besides the bed, on his knees with his fingers clasped together, his lips quietly mumbling to himself a prayer. She smiles, leaning against the doorframe while she watches him. “What are you praying about?” she finally asks, wanting some sort of conversation at that moment to still the worry in her heart.

He’s pulled out of his thoughts and prayers, and he scuffles to his feet, rushing to the woman. “Ohh umm..nothing. Nothing. Did you need anything? Are you hungry?”

That was another thing she couldn’t quite wrap her head around. He practically followed her every move, constantly looking out for her every whim. It was cute..no...it was more than that. ‘You’ve never felt so loved in your life’.

“No babydoll, no. Everything’s fine. Stop fussing over me like a mother hen. The baby is fine. She or he is still growing in there. It’s only been like...three weeks at best”.

His facial expressions gave away the truth that he would never stop worrying, which was something that only further calmed her. Their words in her old apartment, their “I love you’s” still stood. She reaches out and takes his hands in her own, rubbing the back with her thumb. 

“What were you praying for?”

“You mostly” he explains. “The baby. Strength”.

“Strength for what Vic?”

“To be a good father. A good man for you. Forgiveness as well. Lot’s of different things”.

“You pray a lot”.

“Well, it gives me a little bit of certainty I suppose” he explains. “The conspiracy, it’s everywhere. And I can get a little discouraged from time to time. So I pray to the Lord to keep myself focused. Good will win and triumph over evil. Maybe it’s stupid…”.

“It isn’t” she defends, sharing his ideas about faith but none of his conviction. She casts her eyes downwards. “I haven’t prayed in a very long time. Not since I was a little girl”.

“Why?” he asks, holding her close and wrapping his arm about her waist.

“I...I believe in God” she defends herself, not realizing that she had no reason to defend herself in this man’s arms. “I believe in right and wrong, even if I don’t follow it. I’ve gone to confession. I made communion but...I...I’m angry at him” she admits, feeling a little better now that the words are out.

“I can understand that” he admits.

“It’s just...if he’s so powerful, why didn’t he answer my prayers in the first place? Why didn’t he make my dad stay? Why didn’t he…”.

  
She’s quieted by his lips against hers, and she leans in as well, not able to resist him when he just did that. The kiss goes on for a few seconds before he releases her, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek while staring into her eyes.

“I’ve felt that way a lot” he admits. “We’re two peas in a pod babydoll” she teases.

“That’s right. And that’s why I pray”.

“Now you lost me Q…”.

“All my life, I’ve been...lost. Searching for belonging and purpose. I found that in my struggle against the conspiracy. Rooting out the evil that hides in plain sight. I thought that was enough. But over time...it wasn’t. It still matters to me, it matters a lot, but at the end of the day, I wasn’t fulfilling my full purpose” he says, bringing them to the bed and seating them down on the side. 

He looks at their enjoined hands and brings hers to his lips, kissing her skin and making the blonde blush. “So...I prayed. I prayed for that purpose. Forced myself every night for the last five years, even when I’d given up hope of ever finding it”.

“When I came to Gotham, I prayed, I prayed the hardest that I’d ever prayed before and I intended for this to be the last time I prayed if it wasn’t answered. Selfish and stupid but...every man’s faith can be tested”. 

He falls silent and smiles to himself, a little reserved smile that Dinah always found irresistible. “Then what happened?”

He just turns and reaches up to caress the side of her face. “I met you that night at the docks”.

Her heart quickens and she feels the blush cover her entire face and she leans into his touch to maximize contact. “So...yeah. Now I have a very important purpose”.

A comfortable silence descends over the both of them and she scoots closer to him so that their sides are touching. “Can I pray with you?”

He smiles and nods, moving his hand downwards to take her own before bowing his head. Dinah mimics the action, feeling the rust slowly kicking itself off of the few things she remembered from church. “Hey God. It’s Dinah. It’s been a long time…”

**_Wayne Manor_ **

Contended bliss. That’s how she’d most easily describe it. Laying there with her head on Bruce’s bare chest, still wearing the santa hat. “Wow...all I can say”.

“The feeling is mutual Harley”. He leans down and plants a kiss on her forehead, staying close as they cuddle together. “I love you”.

“I love you too”.

Their hands slowly move over one another, gently and lovingly exploring the by now very familiar ground between them. “We need to find out more about…”.

“Nope. No more shop talk. Not right now sweetie” she intones, silencing him with a kiss. “In the morning, we’ll gather ourselves up, get into the cave and start workin’ our magic but for right now? Let’s just...well, be us. I don’t think it’s healthy to fixate. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the cards are in their hand right now puddin. We need to wait for them to find us”.

“We can’t do that” he says. “The city is in danger”.

“I know...wait...I might be able to work out a plan. Something just occurred to me”.

She sits up in bed and smiles wide. “Ohh Bruce! I think that that bimbo Selina Kyle might just come in handy!”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mentions of rape, but they are very vague. I kept it that way intentionally. I tried to handle this as sensitively and empathetically as possible. If I failed in that regard, I humbly apologize. If that kind of thing is too much for you, I urge you not to read this chapter. I intentionally made it very fillerish to include this part. More will be happening plot wise in the next chapter. God bless you all and a merry Christmas to those celebrating.
> 
> Small point of order. I changed the character of Harleen's mother. I absolutely loath the name Sharon and her character design so....yeah haha. Not much else to add. Hope you grow to like her as a character! I have good ideas for her

**_Wayne Manor, Master Bedroom_ **

“And what makes you think she’ll be an asset?”

“I don’t think she’ll be an asset, just minorly helpful at the moment, and you keep your mind and your eyes off of her ‘assets” Harleen teases, poking Bruce in the side. He responds by holding her closer, their bodies nude and eagerly pressed up against one another. The only thing Harley continued to wear was the Santa hat. 

“Why would I look there when I already have perfection here?”

She blushes and smiles up at him, nodding as she pats him on the head. “Good boy. We’re house training you pretty well huh Brucie?”

“You were saying before?” the man asks, being a bit impatient to hear her reasoning. “Ohh right, right. Yeah. Think about it. If she’s been in Milan all these years, and the Court has been here, at least if the rhyme is right and that’s really all we got ta go on”.

“Fair” Bruce says, wanting to let the woman speak and get her whole idea out.

“Well...odds are they’re going to go after her. If they control everything in Gotham, they gotta be rich. I hate soundin’ like a commie and sayin’ “ahh it’s always the rich” but in this case, who else but them could exercise the level of control over Gotham that they seem to do? Plus, Question said that the whole organization was that way and it seemed that he knows more. You should talk to him about it puddin”.

“Hmm”.

“Anyways, talk to her. Suss her out. See if they’ve already gotten to her by maybe saying something that might make her think you’re one of them. Best case scenario? She spills the beans inadvertently and we know to monitor the bitch. Worst case? She has no idea what you’re saying and you can brush it off as a joke and we never, ever need to see her again”. 

“Your plan has merits..” he says, trailing off.

“Buuuut?” she supplies.

“It isn’t much to go on” he explains. “Even if Selina exposes herself as a member of the court, which is unlikely, what do we do from there? She’d undoubtedly report back to the Court and tell them that Bruce Wayne is asking uncomfortable questions. She’ll figure out that I’m not one of them and wonder why I was even asking”.

“So? Say you want to join them”.

“So I should say that I guessed that a nursery rhyme was real on a whim and that I just happened to chance upon a member of the court and then I recited a poem that would get them to allow me in?”

“Well...I’ll admit it sounds a little stupid” she says, drooping visibly. “But it’s all we really got puddin”.

Bruce sighs and reaches down, caressing her cheek. “No, no. You’re right. It’s really the best idea out of the options we have available. Tomorrow night she wants to meet so we can sign over all documents that make the former Stagg Industries a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises. I’ll put our plan into motion then”.

She reaches out and takes his hand, moving it from her cheeks and into the air before placing her own palm against his, gently outlining their fingers together. Her dainty digits barely touched the sides of his already grizzled and large hands, and she can’t help but smile. 

“What?”   
  


“Nothing...nothing” she says, letting their hands fall back to his chest but refusing to let go of the contact. “I don’t know if you know anything about the Miagani?”

“Not much other than the fact that they lived here in Gotham before the arrival of the British” he says. The blonde nods and continues on. “They lived mostly on Gotham Island, where Arkham Asylum now stands. Only know about all this because I work there and I love spooky stories. Unrelated but they worshipped bats and disappeared in 1686. Heh. They worshipped bats. Think they woulda liked us puddin?”

“Probably” he teases, caressing his hands up and down her sides, causing the petite woman to shiver in pleasure. He leans in and begins to kiss her shoulder, still listening though he was focusing on her body at that moment.

“We don’t know too much about them, but a few things were picked up by a...I think it was Franciscan? Or maybe Dominican? I don’t know. One of those. He was a priest by the name of Jean Valli, and he wrote down what he could of their culture because he could kind of speak the language”.

“And what does that have to do with hands?” he asks, moving his own digits to her lower back, tracing over her spine.

“Well they believed that everything important, the soul and stuff, was contained in someone’s hands and their tongue. They used to cut off both and bury them separate from the body as punishment for big stuff...if you wanted some gory details” she teases with a wry smile.

“Your excellent at pillow talk. Did you know that?”

“Har har. But anyways, they had something to say that was...rather sweet” she goes on. “When a man and a woman were in love, the village elders would test them by having them place their hands together and then they’d...read, like a palm reader I would guess, how their hands moved together”.

“Surprised they didn’t do it with the tongue” he says saucily back.

“Again. Har har”.

Bruce ruminates over her words but brings his hand up to study their interlocked flesh. “Well, I wonder what they’d think of ours”.

“That we fit together….”.

“Perfectly…”.

The two keep smiling at one another though the need for sleep was rapidly approaching for the both of them. “This was fun” she coos out, her head resting on his chest as her eyes are already closed. “Hmm..it was. Very kinky….Ms. Claus”.

“You should see the other things I picked out. A veritable theater we’ve got going”.

“Bruce and Harleen’s bedroom theater, a two person show for just those two people” Bruce says, the events of the long day catching up with him. “I always wanted to be a leading lady” Harleen chuckles. 

“You’ll always be mine”.

With that Bruce is asleep, snoring lightly as Harleen quickly follows him into the blissful oblivion of dreams.

**_Harvey Dent Election Headquarters, Downtown_ **

“I’m worried”.

“Well, that’s a first” Pamela teases as she rests against the man’s desk, arms crossed under her chest. “I’m serious Pam” the man says, a little agitated. “With Sharpe winding up dead….I don’t know. Things seem weird. Doesn’t it seem odd that so many people suddenly just...want to vote for me?” he asks before standing up and moving towards the window.

“I was a good DA. I’d like to think I was. But come on...this is Gotham. Everyone is jaded to hell and back. Yet, here they are. All excited for me. I don’t deserve this”.

The redhead shakes her head and sighs, moving up behind the man and placing her palms on his shoulders to rub them through the suit. “Harvey...baby….the self esteem needs to get higher. It’s a real buzzkill”.

“Sorry. Sorry” he says. “No. You’re right. You’re right. Everything is going to be fine and it’s going well for Gotham”.

“Good. Now...turn around and look at me”.

He does, moving in her arms to face down at her. He wore a ceramic face plat on the left side of his face with one an eye slit to hide his burns. “Repeat after me. I Harvey Dent…”.

The man rolls his eyes but places his hand on her waist. “I Harvey Dent…”.

“Do solemnly swear…”

“Do solemnly swear….”

“To stop being an utter stick in the mud and listen to my girlfriend. So help me God”

He laughs to himself and sighs before nodding. “Alright. I’m listening more. So….did you pick out the drapes you want to put up in the mayoral mansion?”

“That’s the spirit! And yes. Blue”.

  
A knock on the door interrupts their conversation and the green skinned woman turns territorially, having taken to her self assigned job as bodyguard as well as she did to her job as secretary. “Who is it?” she calls out.

“It’s Jane ma’am” one of the campaign volunteers calls out. She sounded nervous, and that instantly set her radar off. “There are two police officers here who…”.

The doors suddenly bust open and two burly men step into the room. Their eyes were instantly on the both of them, and it was clear that they were anything but police officers even if they did wear the uniforms. “You Harvey Dent?”   
  


Harvey steps forward and nods. “What do you want?”

“You’re coming with us. Downtown. Wanted in questioning for the murder of Quincy Sharpe and Gillian Loeb”.

“What?” Ivy asks, stepping forward. “That’s ridiculous”.

One of the men looks her over, eyeing her shapely legs and body. “Ohh yeah? And how would you know toots? Got an alibi to supply?” he teases while moving forward. “What are you doing with ole’ crispy here? Dontcha want a real man?”

Pamela moves closer to Harvey and threads her fingers through his own. “I’d like to supply his alibi officer” she says, spitting venom at the word “officer”.

The man’s face falls at that. “Well spit it out then?”

“He was busy. All night. I was screwing him into my mattress”.

“Stop jerking around and let’s just bring this asshole in” the other says, getting tired of the back and forth. He was here for a job, and he wanted it done quickly. “Just come with us bacon boy. Make this easy on yourself”.

“You’re Stevie the Clam” Harvey says quietly.

The man goes stock still, not enjoying the fact that he’d apparently been made. “I ain’t got a clue what you’re talking about Dent. Just put yer hands behind yer back and come quietly”.

“I handled your case about five years ago right?” Harvey asks, pressing on. “I couldn’t get you on murder. Ohh no no. Too slick for that, or at least your boss was. Falcone. No. I couldn’t stick you for killing that bank teller. But the robbery? Ohh I got you for that. Especially seeing as you had the gun and money in your possession”.

He pats Pamela’s hand, signalling for her to let him go, which she dutifully does. She couldn’t help but enjoy how he unbalanced these two, and she bites her lip in excitement. ‘Is big bad Harv in charge right now?’ she asks herself.

“What kind of asshole goes out and buys his girlfriend a mink coat the day after a robbery when he didn’t have a pot to piss in the day before?”

He keeps advancing on the larger of the two men, who had rage and murder in his eyes. “Shut the fuck up…”

“Stevie…” his accomplice says, already sensing that things had started to spiral out of their control. “You shut the fuck up too”.

“That’s right Stevie” Harvey laughs. “Your friend might talk reason into you. You’ve never been a reasonable guy. That’s why I was able to put you behind bars for...ohh I think the term was five years. A lot less than I wanted. Then again, Gotham”.

“You’re coming with us you burnt fucking freak!” Stevie shouts before pulling a pistol. The other man in the officer’s uniform stops, turning white at the view in front of him. Pamela was already on standby, though a gentle wave of Harvey’s hand calls her off. “You brought a friend who apparently doesn’t like blood”.

He turns to the man and gives him an appraising look. “Let me guess...hmm...safe cracker? No...getaway driver? Whoever it is, Hill and Mandragora are really pulling from the bottom of the barrel. Especially if they’re sending you as a trigger man after me”.

The man presses the gun right to Harvey’s forehead, and to his credit Harvey doesn’t even blink. “You’re gonna die Dent. You’re going to fucking die”.

“No Stevie” he sighs, his voice much deeper. “You are. But not here. Not today. No. Probably in a prison cell”. With lightning quick reflexes Harvey reaches out and up, grasping the pistol in his hands, yanking it out of the man’s reach and bringing it back down on the bridge of his nose, cracking the cartilage and sending the goon to the floor cradling his face in his hands.

“Ohh Stevie...that’s one hell of a break” the DA says, watching as the accomplice backs off in fear. “What’s the matter? You hurt?”

“You...mutherfuckkker…” the man grasps out. 

“Pamela...sweetie” Harvey turns his head over his shoulder. “Can you call the police? The actual ones? I believe our friend is injured and needs medical attention”.

“Don’t think that’s necessary Mr. Dent”.

The two turn just in time to see a large man in an overcoat and a fedora enter the room alongside another police officer. “Detective Bullock. GCPD” he introduces himself. “Lucky you we were right outside the buildin”, the man says.

“Let me guess, donut shop across the street?” Pam asks snidely. 

“Yeah. Matter of fact I was” the other Harvey says without a sense of shame. “But your doll of a secretary called quick enough, and thanks to Montoya’s new comm devices we were told pretty quick”. He stops and turns to the other police officer, nodding him along. “Cuff that asshole over there. Imitatin’ a police officer, attempted kidnappin’ and attempted murder. As for you..”.

He reaches down and picks Stevie up off of the ground, causing the man to yelp in pain as blood spills down onto the floor. “Same charges. Stevie, Stevie, Stevie. Let’s make sure you’re kept nice and safe seeing as you’re probably gonna drop dime on your boss ainthca?”

“I ain’t telling you shit” the crook snarls as Harvey turns him around and places the cuffs on his hands. “Yeah you will. One thing I’m good at is sniffing out rats and you Stevie? You’re a grade a. Got the other one?”

“Yes Detective”.

“Alright good”. Harvey turns to look at the DA and Pamela before he tips his hat. “This is all pretty informal, maybe unprofessional but...eh. It’s Gotham. Anyways, meet us down at the station to give us your reports. Montoya is gonna wanna see ya for certain”.

Harvey was nonplussed by everything, and now that Stevie was in cuffs he felt downright invigorated. “Sounds fine to me. Montoya. She’ll probably be the new commissioner soon” Harvey says while moving over to the coat rack and coaxing Pamela forward. She complies and he turns her to help her slip her arms into her coat.

“Yeah, ‘specially with Loeb taking the dirt nap he did. Fall down the stairs”.

“Hmm” Harvey hums simply, having known a bit about the detective before him. He gently rubs Pam’s shoulders as she fastens the belt of her coat, working on slipping into his own. “Last I heard you were one of Loeb’s lap dogs. Seems you’re pretty happy that he’s gone”.

The detective’s visage darkens and he looks down in shame at the ground, something Stevie notices and picks up on quickly enough. “Yeah, you ain’t any cleaner than me Bullock. You fat piece of shit”.

The man resists the urge to simply smack the man in the face but he shakes the desire away. He turns back to Dent and nods. “I know. I got a chequered past. I did some things I ain’t proud of but...things change. I’m workin’ to change”.

“And what is it that brought about this ash and sackcloth repentance of yours Bullock?” Harvey asks, remembering the few times that he’d wound up having to cross examine the detective as a witness in a trial. Multiple times had the word of the GCPD detective gotten a perpetrator off. It was never on truly abhorrent charges, rape or murder, but the man still left a bad taste in Harvey’s mouth.

“I guess some people reminded me of what my job is” Bullock says. “Hope is spreadin’ in this city, like a virus. You two should know about that”.

The room goes silent and Pamela for some reason can’t shake the feeling of pity she has for the man. “Look. Some shit happened between us. I get it. I’m on a lot of people’s lists. I don’t deserve it but all I’m askin’ ya is that you give me a chance to make things right, and if I can’t do that? At least let me do the job I’m paid for”.

Harvey Dent glares the man down, eventually succumbing to the angels of his better nature. “Well, it’s not worth much from me but I’m willing to give you a chance. We’ll see you at the station Detective Bullock”.

The large man was thankful, though he didn’t say anything. He just nods and turns to the door, pushing his prisoner out after the exit of his partner. “Come on, get a move on Stevie. Got a ham and cheese sandwich waitin’ for you back at the station”.

Harvey lets them leave before turning to Pamela and shrugging, letting out a little nervous laugh. “It never ends here in Gotham does it?”

“No...I don’t think it does”.

He reaches out and takes her hand, caressing her fingers softly with his own. “Well, I think we filled our excitement quota for today. Let’s get down to the station, make our report and then...I want to take you out for dinner”.

“After all of that?” Pamela asks with a smile, enjoying how Harvey seemed to be completely unbothered by the events that had just transpired. “Why not? What do you feel like eating?” he asks, moving out into the atrium where his frightened staff remained.

“Everything’s alright. Gotham’s finest is handling everything”.

They all seem to calm down, just slightly though. Most were confused about what had even happened. “Hill is really scared. What is he hiding? He’s gotta be hiding something. This can’t all just be about losing the election can it?”

Harvey presses the call button on the elevator and summons the car up. The duo step in, knowing that Jane would lock things up here at the office. “He’s been mayor for decades, and he’s been corrupt since before that. I doubt that he doesn’t have a lot of things to hide”.

Pamela molds herself into his side, nuzzling his arm with her cheek. “You’re being very affectionate” he teases.

“Complaining?”

“Not at all. You know...you’re one hell of a woman Pamela”.

“What do you mean?” she asks a little curious as the elevator begins to move downwards.

“Well just...everything. Sticking by me even after...well...my face. Putting up with my weaknesses. Most women, seeing a gun pointed at their boyfriend’s face would’ve tucked tail and run. Hell, they wouldn’t be nonchalant about going to the police station to give a report about it either”.

“Well...I’m not an ordinary woman Harvey”.

“No. Ordinary doesn’t describe you at all sweetie”.

He turns and takes her face in his hands, the two bodies moving together before he leans down to kiss her lips. Pamela smiles as she leans her forehead up against his, murring contentedly while her hands rub over his chest. 

“I love you”.

“I love you too Harvey” she blushes.

“Let’s get this over with. What do you say to Italian tonight?”

“I say that it sounds like a plan Mayor Dent”.

Mayor Dent. He was slowly beginning to let it sink in that not only was that title a possibility for him, it was more than likely at this point.

‘Fuck you Hill. You’re going whether you like it or not’.

**_East District Public Housing_ **

“Are you sure you wish for me to leave you here Master Wayne?” Alfred asks, casting a cursory glance over the couple that was sitting in the back seat. Harleen didn’t look up at the man, and instead continued to stare at the dilapidated brick building that housed Gotham’s poor, or at least some of them.

‘I...I haven’t been here in so long’ she muses, indeed having avoided the place like the plague. 

“Yes Alfred, we’re sure”. He reaches out and places a hand over the blonde’s squeezing it for comfort. “Unless you’ve changed your mind Harleen”.

She turns and stares into his eyes, needing to know that she had someone to support her in that moment. She squeezes back and nods. “I need to do this Bruce. I...I can’t do it without you though so...thank you”.

Bruce doesn’t respond and just gets out of the car before moving over towards the opposite side to open the door and hold out his hand to Harleen, who gingerly takes it and steps out of the limo. “Very well Master Bruce. I shall return her in approximately two hours after I have picked up the children from school”.

“Thank you Alfred”.

“Ohh and Ms. Quinzel?”

Harleen turns to the butler and awaits his words. “I just wish for you to know that we are not the sum of our pasts, nor are we the sum of what others have done to us in the past” he says calmly. “You are a remarkable woman, whom I’ve come to...care for very much”.

She notices the faux paus and it warms her heart, but she wants to let him finish as Alfred was a veritable fountain of wisdom. “Do not be afraid to ask hard questions if you feel that having them answered will place a balm on your heart. Moving forward is the only way. You have much to be proud of. What I am saying is...forgive if you can. Question if you must. But never take your eyes off of the future. Especially not you”.

She wanted to cry, but in a good way.

“Thank you Alfred”. 

“Of course Ms. Quinzel. Of course. Now. I shall return following the completion of my errands. I wish you both the best of luck”.

Bruce places his hand on the small of Harleen’s back and gently rubs up and down as they watch the black limousine pull off of the curb and back into the winding traffic. That left the two decidedly out of place characters alone in a decidedly hopeless part of Gotham. Harleen turns and begins to walk up the familiar steps to the brick building, Bruce in tow.

A man was seated on the sidewalk, dressed in nothing more than rags. He stares up at them with a blank expression as they pass. Bruce quietly fishes into his pants pocket for his wallet and retrieves a ten, placing it in the man’s bowl.

“Thank ye...hey...you...blondie, ya seem familiar” the man says, looking up to stop the couple. Harleen was noticeably uncomfortable, and she didn’t know what to say. “I...I used to live here”.

The man’s eyes seem to bulge out in skepticism and shock. “You? Pretty society lady? Here? That’s a good one. Ole’ Bert hasn’t heard a good one like that in a while” the man says before beginning to cackle to himself.    
  
Harleen looks down at her appearance as if noticing it for the first time. Her clothes for going out had rapidly become higher class over time, more expensive while still being minimalist. It made her blush and feel guilty and ashamed. ‘I feel like a dressed up pig’ she thinks. She turns to Bruce and frowns, feeling particularly vulnerable to the man right at this moment. ‘It’s only because of Bruce’ her mind whispers. ‘You’re nothing. Just the same old little girl who lived in a shitty run down apartment and wore dirty shoes and a dirty dress’.

“Let’s go” she whispers, urging her boyfriend on up the steps. He follows, but he can tell something is wrong.

They enter the front door of the building and he stops her, gently placing his hands on her upper arms and rubbing along her skin. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

“Don’t lie. What’s wrong Harleen?”

She looks away, feeling the memories pour in as every familiar brick comes into her view. The smell, the sights...everything. Her head was spinning, and she knew that if Bruce wasn’t there she wouldn’t be able to stay upright.

“I...he..I just…”.

“You don’t need to be ashamed Harleen”.

Her eyes snap up to the man’s, watching as his hand rises to her cheek and his thumb brushes over her lips. “Life...we don’t always get a choice in how it shapes up. How much money we have growing up, or where we go later”.

“Bruce...I’m only where I am now because of you”.

“Bullshit” he says, shocking her a bit as Bruce rarely cursed. “You made it to where you are by yourself. You became a doctor, and a damn good one, on your own. Sure our...other activities were aided by me, but you had the drive and the will to turn yourself into who you are. I didn’t do that for you”.

“Bruce…”.

“Is this about him calling you a pretty society lady?” he asks. She nods contritely. “Why? Because you have something and he doesn’t?”

“I didn’t work for it though Bruce. You gave me these nice clothes and…”.

“Because I love you” he explains. “And I wanted to. I don’t ever want you to apologize to others because you were more fortunate than them. I’ve dealt with that all through my life as well. We don’t control our destiny. All we have control over is how we conduct ourselves. Do you think that people who don’t have are inherently better than those who do just because they don’t have?”

“It’s easy to feel that way in Gotham” Harleen chuckles. “True” Bruce retorts with a smile, happy that she’d at least laughed a little bit. “A lot of people with money in Gotham are pretty awful but…” Bruce suddenly looks off before recollecting himself. “I’ve done a lot of thinking on the issue. If wealth or lack of it makes a man bad or good or justifies his actions. Joe Chill, he was a poor man. And my mom and dad? They were rich”.

Harleen reaches up now, wanting to comfort him as the two move even closer, drawing stares from passersby who move through the hallway to their rooms. “What I’m trying to say is...we make our own choices. Regardless of the clothes you wear, or the house you live in, you are your own person and rich of poor Harleen Quinzel doesn’t matter. You’re my woman because you’re you”.

She lets it all in, mulling over his words which were wise as usual. She had never thought that she’d feel embarrassed by having nice things. It was one of the reasons she struggled so hard after all. Through medical school, her desire to help mixed with her desire to make it to the top. Have something to show for her hard work. She’d still help of course, she wasn’t selfish but was it wrong to want nice things if you worked for them? And was it wrong if you fell in love with someone who gave you those nice things?

‘Would you love Bruce if he was poor?’

She looked at the man and imagined how he’d look if he was dressed in the rags that the man outside wore, but his smiling face remained the same. ‘Yes. I would’ she knows that she would. In her mind she imagines the two of them, both poor and living in a cardboard box. Jason and Barbara would be there, and so would Alfred. She couldn’t help but find it funny. Prim and proper Alfred, still serving them though it would be canned food.

Them having to sneak into a little tunnel beneath the box to change into tattered versions of their batsuits. It was a ridiculous thought, but it was uniquely a Harley thought. 

She leans in and kisses the man on the lips. “Thank you Bruce. Whoda’ thought a doctor would need someone to screw their head back on? I guess...I guess I’m just being silly”.

“I don’t think you’re silly at all”. 

He offers her his hand and gestures up towards the stairs. “Second door from the left right? 3B?”

“Uhhmm” she says, following along with the man and looking around. “It’s been at least ten years since I’ve been back here” she says. “I mean, I’ve called my mom, and seen her out and about but...I just...I don’t like coming back here”.

“I understand”.

“It’ll feel good though” she continues while sighing. “It’ll be cathartic. Plus..I get to introduce my boyfriend to my mom”.

“I’m sure I’ll like her”.

“She’ll love you puddin” she teases.

They were at the door now and Harleen feels that trepidation well up inside of her again. She forces herself to reach out and knock, already knowing that her mother would be home. She hears nothing but silence for a moment, and Bruce reacts by squeezing her hand tighter. The sound of movement behind the door follows, and it slowly opens following the undoing of multiple chains and locks that undoubtedly were a necessity in a place like this.

The door opens, though only a sliver at first, as a pair of bright blue eyes look out before opening wider in shock. “Harleen?”

“Hey mama” Harley says with a sad and nervous smile.

The door opens wider, fully showing the woman who was the blonde’s mother. Bruce’s eyes widen in shock as he can see her fully. Despite the woman being double his age, she barely looked to be over forty with only a few grey hairs and a small amount of wrinkling on her skin to show that she was indeed older. 

‘I see where Harley got her looks from’ he thinks, unable to suppress the thought.

The woman rockets forward, wrapping her arms around Harleen while kissing the woman’s cheek. “Sweetheart! It’s...it’s been a while since I’ve heard from you! Ohh...I missed you”. The woman begins to cry and it had an obvious effect on Harleen who joins her soon enough. 

Bruce moves to the side, allowing the two to have the time they needed with one another before he was introduced. The older woman slowly backs up, looking up and down her daughter. “Ohh sweetie..you look so good! Gorgeous girl you always are”.

“I get it from my mama” Harleen retorts back.

Her mom smiles and slowly looks over at the man with her daughter, an air of curiosity and friendliness mixing about her. “Sweetie?” she asks without looking at her, trying to remain calm. “Can you tell me why Bruce Wayne is with you?”

Harleen wanted to laugh at how her mother was trying to hide her unease, being around the city’s most popular and well known man. Bruce just chuckles himself and reaches out his hand. “Hello ma’am. As you already know I’m Bruce Wayne. It’s very nice to meet you” he says.

The woman reaches out and takes his hand, shaking it lightly as if she was afraid of breaking the man. “Umm...well, yes, it’s...it’s very nice to meet you Mr. Wayne” she says, still not having an answer to her question.

“As for, why I’m here” he begins, pulling Harleen to his side and kissing her cheek. “I’ve been dating your daughter, and I wanted to come and meet you”.

“Ohh…” the woman says with a deer in headlights look. “My name is Elise..would you...would you like to come inside?” she asks, stepping back to the open door and almost stumbling while trying to offer them entrance.

“Mama” Harleen laughs, moving forward to steady the woman.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s just my puddin” she teases, knowing that her mother was in awe of the man. ‘Should’ve warned him that she’s a bit of a gossip column addict’.

“Your...puddin?”

“Yup. My puddin. Come on in Bruce” she says, pulling the man into the small apartment where she grew up. Elise was left at the door for a moment, and she takes a deep breath, trying to collect herself. “Bruce Wayne” she shakes her head and smiles, shocked at the turn of events. She’d withhold judgement though, for the moment. She wanted to know how he felt about her little girl before deciding to like him.

‘She did snare herself a hunky one though’ were her final thoughts as she closes the door.

**_Apartment of Vic Sage…..and Dinah Lance_ **

She leaned up on her tippy toes to place the star atop the tree, positioning it so that it didn’t tip over once again. “Eighth time’s the charm” she says to herself, making sure that she didn’t lose her balance again and knock into the tree.

“Ahh there we go!” 

She steps back to proudly admire her work, loving how the lights were set up in an ascending pattern. She only had a few ornaments to put up but eventually she hoped that would change. 

The door to the apartment opens and Vic steps in, brushing off the cold that ruled in the hallways of his apartment building. “Hello”. His words and greetings always seemed simple, but Dinah had grown used to them. She even loved hearing them.

“Hello” she responds, moving up to help him with his jacket. “Ohh, thank you”.

She just nods and smiles, placing it on the hook. “You’re welcome”.

The man turns and notices how...festive his apartment looked now, and he didn’t know what to think. Dinah moving in had been an adjustment, but one that didn’t truly bother him. Sure, he had to deal with different quirks. The toilet seat had to be left down and he had to stock more orange juice in the fridge than he normally would have, but the trade offs were more than sufficient.

Dinah was a cuddle bug, something he never expected of the woman. He never had to worry about her hogging the blankets as she was so close that they had no choice but to share them. She wasn’t too great of a cook, but she was learning and despite his protests that she didn’t need to take on the role of happy little homemaker, the woman had put herself in that position regardless.

Both still worked, and it ensured that they had all that they needed when they put the funds together. 

‘I’m happy’.

The thought shocks him as he looks at Dinah who moves back towards the tree. She was smiling while she placed yet another one of the glass Christmas balls on one of the tree branches. She looked beautiful to him, even in sweat pants and a sweater. 

“Where did the tree come from?”

“Mrs. Johansen was throwing it out” Dinah explains as he sits down on the couch, continuing to watch her. “She said that she’d gotten a new one and that she noticed we didn’t have one when she came over for salt the other day so...she gave us this one!”

She was excited, happy and he could tell, and that fixated him on her in a way he’d never had cause to look at a woman with before.

Her face falls at his lack of verbal response worries the woman who turns and looks at him askance. “Is...is that okay? Sorry...I really should’ve asked…”

“No, no it’s fine!” he says, standing up and moving towards her. “Completely fine”. He takes her waist in his hands, smiling down at her with brushing a lose strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiles back up at him, leaning into his touch. “I didn’t cover the board though!” she says proudly, referencing the massive bulletin board that dominated the right side of the living room.

On it were numerous newspaper clippings with red strings pinned to connect them to one another. It was how he tracked the conspiracy. ‘It’s scary how long I’ve spent looking at that thing’ Dinah thinks to herself. ‘I’ve begun to believe most of the crap on there’.

“How was work?” she asks, wanting to turn the conversation away as they both sit on the couch, Dinah basically planting herself in his lap. Vic didn’t mind. Not one bit. “It was good. A fair amount of tips. Busy day”.

“Hmm”.

Dinah runs her fingers through his hair, smiling contentedly as she does. 

“I think we should tell Batman and Batwoman”.

The words were out quickly as he knew that if he didn’t say them now, he wouldn’t be able to muster the courage for it later. “Why?”

“Because your safety is the most important thing to me Dinah” he explains, reaching out to rub her stomach lovingly. “And you’re an open vigilante. I have a feeling that if Batman and Batwoman know then you can be more easily protected”.

“I’m not going to go sit in a cage for nine months to…”.

“I know and I’m not saying that. I’m just saying I want you to be safe, that’s all”.

The woman mulls it over, thinking over how many times she’d fought side by side with the Bats over the last few months. She’d grown to see Batwoman as a friend, enjoying the conversations she could have with her while staking out this criminal activity or that one. “You’d have to tell them who you are baby”.

“I know”.

“That’s a big step. Are you sure you can trust them enough?”

He takes her hand and kisses it gently. “I’ve learned that sometimes...trust, can be a good thing”.

“Ohh?”

“Uhhmm...especially if one has reason to trust the person they’re trusting”.

“Stop speaking in riddles and kiss me” she says, leaning forward to capture the man’s lips in between her own. After a few seconds she separates from him, though she remains close. “We can tell them later. Tomorrow. It’s actually going to be really chilly tonight and...well...I have a roast in the oven, and Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer is on the tv tonight, so let’s just...stay in and do that”.

“Sounds like a beautiful plan Dinah”.

**_Elise Quinzel’s Apartment_ **

“Ohh she was just always so smart! Top of her class, always. My little Harley”.

Harleen blushed as Elise regalled Bruce with stories from her childhood, the man absolutely eating it up as he took a long sip from his coffee. “So nothing has changed on that front” he teases her.

“No. It seems not” Elise supplies. “She was always going to go places. And look how far she went! On the verge of running Arkham Asylum. I’m so...so proud of you Harleen!”

Bruce took this moment to look about the apartment, making a few notes to himself. It was clean, though still dilapidated. Elise didn’t have much, but what she did have was a surplus of photos lining the walls. Pictures of Harleen and another girl that looked just like her, whom he could only assume to be Bethany.

There were no pictures of her father though, something that stood out to Bruce. ‘Good’.

He turns to Harleen and sees the look in her eyes. It was time.

“Excuse me, Ms. Quinzel” he says, causing the older woman to blush and wave her hand. “Ohh please just call me Elise”.

“As long as you call me Bruce” he returns with a smile. “I was just hoping to use your bathroom”.

“Ohh yes yes please, help yourself!” she says, standing up. “It’s right down the hall and the first door on the left”.

“Thank you” Bruce says before getting up off of the couch and standing. He stops though and takes one look at Harley, hating that she wanted to be alone for this but knowing that she needed to be. He leans down and kisses her. “I love you”.

“I love you too puddin”.

Without any more distractions he exits the living room, leaving the mother and daughter alone. Elise could grasp what was happening by how Bruce had kissed Harleen. She reaches forward and puts the cup of coffee down on the coaster while nervously folding her hands in her lap. “He loves you” she says.

Harleen remains silent. 

“I can see it in his eyes. How he talks about you. You. I can already tell you’re going to marry him” Elise continues on. “And already a mama of your own”.

“Well...technically no..” Harleen blushes, having told Elise of Barbara and Jason.

“I never much cared for technicalities. I’m a grandma and you’re not convincing me otherwise”.

Harleen smiles and nods, glad that her and her mother could at least share that for the moment. The smile drops away quickly though, and she knows that she has to have the most uncomfortable conversation she’s ever had in her life. “Mama…”.

“You want to know...why I stayed with your father all those years. Why...why I let those things happen to you” Elise says, closing her eyes as her face clenches up in pain.

“Yes…” Harleen says breathlessly.

“I knew you’d eventually ask me that. I never prepared for it because if I did...I wouldn’t tell you the truth” Elise sighs while looking out the window. “I was scared Harleen. When I met your father...things were different. I was from a good family and he...he wasn’t. I was dumb and part of me fell for that”.

“Then your brother came and my family...well, maybe they weren’t as good as they liked to say because as soon as that happened I was a non-person” Elise says, the tears sliding down her cheeks. “He was a good boy. He was. Harleen, I loved all of you. More than anything else but...if I’d been braver, more intelligent like you, you wouldn’t be here”.

“What do you mean mama?” Harleen asks, hating that this conversation was hurting her mother so much. ‘Is having closure worth this Harley?’

She reaches out and takes her mother’s hand. “Sweetie...Harley...I don’t know if you want to know this”. The tears were coming much faster now, cascading down the older woman’s cheeks. Harley couldn’t help it as she began to cry as well. “I need to mama. I’m sorry”.

“No. No...I’d want to know too...this is going to be awful to know Harleen”.

Harley nods, having guessed that whatever it was would really be the worst possible thing. ‘Pandora’s box Harley. You still have the chance to step away’. Her mind warned her to, but she couldn’t back off now, and her mother begins.

“After your brother...I was going to leave. I packed him up and all his stuff and waited until your father was drunk enough to just keep on sleeping. But..right when I was about to go...he woke up and…”. Elise gulps and swallows, taking a deep breath while Harleen’s fists clench. 

“He put your brother on the couch and dragged me into the bedroom. I...I still hear his screams and cries sweetie. But...I couldn’t...I couldn’t do anything”.

Harleen moves over to the opposite end to hold the sobbing woman, a cold hand of dread squeezing around her heart. “After that...I knew I couldn’t go back to my family and he convinced me that nobody else would ever want me or help me and...stupid me” she chuckles mirthlessly, “I believed him”.

Harleen waited for the other shoe to drop, knowing what it was already. Her heart was pounding in her chest. “You and Bethany came along after” Elise finishes. “Bethany was so sick right from the start. But the two of you? Ohh you were my little angels. My whole world the three of you”.

Harleen was crying and her body shaking in rage. “I...I was born…”.

“Shh shhh...no” Elise says reaching forward to hug her close. “You were born in love. MY love and you will never forget that Harleen! Do you hear me? You will never forget that”.

“Mama I…”

The woman holds her and caresses her tightly. “I didn’t ever want to tell you this baby. You didn’t need to know”.

“I did...mama…”

“The past is the past Harleen. He’s dead and I’m so glad he is. The only good thing that ever came out of that man was you three, even if your brother never calls” Elise says, regaining her composure as she runs her fingers over her daughter’s cheek. “That man, the one hiding in the bathroom to let you have this time with me? Is he good to you? I mean really good”.

“Yes…” Harleen says in response, the truth being seen in the woman’s eyes. “I’ve never loved someone like I love him. It’s like….a fire. It just wants to have everything that he is all to itself”.

“Good. That’s the way love is supposed to be”. 

She still felt the horror and guilt at the realization of how she had come into this world, and the rage and sadness inside of her, she didn’t know how to compartmentalize it. Her mind was still fixated upon it. “How...how did you not hate Bethany and me?” she asks. “After...after what he did to you…”

“Never. You were two innocent little girls. And you were mine. I...well, maybe you do understand” Elise says with a wide smile. “I’ve made peace with what happened to me Harleen. My life...it hasn’t been the best. I made mistakes, and I did things I never should’ve done but I would never want to change it. No matter what. Why? Because of you. I made the world a better place because I put you in it”.

“I love you Mama”.

At that moment, Harleen put all the anger she had at her mother aside...forever. She couldn’t stay angry. No. Not when the memories of her mother specially wrapping her lunches came to her, or how she’d never yelled at her once. ‘She was a victim too’.

It was a thought that had only occurred to her obliquely from time to time, but now it was highlighted in stark contrast against her past. 

She was glad that she knew, even if it would inevitably cause her pain from time to time. She’d work through it and she knew that she’d have Bruce to help her. ‘And Alfred and Pam, and Harvey and Jason and Barbara’.

“I love you too Harley bear. Now...let’s talk about happier things like when and if I get to meet my grandbabies and how you can invite that hunk of yours out of the bathroom” Elise says, drying her tears. Harleen couldn’t help but laugh aloud, loving how much of her mother she saw in herself. The smile, the laughter through pain and her looks. They all came from Elise Quinzel. 

“Of course you’re coming to see them. You’ll love everyone so much I can already tell” Harleen says while moving up towards the bathroom, still talking to her mother. “Especially Pam. You two will get along. I can’t wait!”

“Neither can I” Elise says with a wide smile, the tears all but forgotten.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, really got on a roll her with this chapter. I think we'll finally break 200,000 words. This is THE most expansive story I've ever written, and I thank each and every one of you who've either read it to give it a chance or have stuck through. Life..well..life isn't that great right now, and I won't lie I kind of live for writing this story. And you readers have made my day multiple times! I love you all and I wish you a very Merry Christmas, (I know we're not quite there yet and we'll have tons of updates by that time haha but in a festive mood),.
> 
> Drat, just 4,000 or so short. Next chapter then we'll break 200,000 :p

**_Kyle Industries, Formerly Stagg Industries_ **

“Are you really sure that this is the smart thing to do?” Denise asks while standing before the Matriarch’s desk. Selina curves a perfectly manicured eyebrow, finding that she enjoyed the lack of decorum the woman showed towards her. ‘As long as she remembers I’m in charge I don’t mind if this friendliness continues’.

“Of course. Why would I do it if it wasn’t?”

She stands and moves towards the bar she’d had set up within her office. She quickly fills a glass with ice before adding the whiskey, desperate to settle her nerves. And indeed she was nervous. Negotiations between Wayne Enterprises and the renamed Stagg Industries had concluded successfully.

She loathed that Bruce hadn’t been there, but she had knowledge of his whereabouts that hinted at where he was. ‘Well...Lucius Fox at least handled the transfer well’.

She remembered meeting the man who struck her as rather bookish. She knew that he was aware of Bruce’s activities, and perhaps was even aiding in them. ‘No. He is most certainly aiding in them. How else would Bruce get so many of those fancy toys? He is an amazing man, but even he has limits’.

“It’s just...I don’ know. I’m worried about you Selina” Denise says, overstepping the boundaries that had been enforced upon her since she was inducted into the Court. “I think...I think maybe you should search out a different mate”.

Selina’s eyes go wide and she stands stock still. Her anger was boiling over, but she knew that she had to keep it in check. Too many employees of Wayne Enterprises were out and about for her to scream. “How dare you”.

Denise backs off, knowing that she’d said the wrong thing at the exact wrong time. Selina turns, the rage visible on her face. “How dare you...after everything I’ve given you? After everything I’ve done for you?”

Without a moment’s hesitation she rushes forward and grasps Denis by the throat, lifting her up in the air. The woman gasps and lightly grips the woman’s wrist, her training meaning nothing when it was confronted with her sorrow at causing such a reaction and in the face of her mistress’ rage. “Matriarch..urkkk...I’m...sorry…”.

Denise begins to turn blue, losing some of the oxygen that she desperately needed. Selina looks into her eyes and savors the fear in them. “Do you feel that? I know what you truly fear. It’s not death. It’s losing everything that is so important to you. Your mate, your son”.

Suddenly, without warning, she drops Denise, allowing her to fall to her knees while inhaling her breath sharply. Selina just moves back towards the wet bar, not enjoying the quiet sobs of the woman who was crying not only in pain. Her rage settled deep in her center though, refusing to let go.

‘Give up Bruce? After a lifetime of being neglected? Without a lover’s touch? No’.

“I spared your miserable life only because of your son” Selina explains, mixing her drink further. Denise looks up at her from her position on the floor, still sobbing. “Matriarch...please...forgive me” she says, beginning to move to her feet. “I’ve given you everything Denis. Everything, and yet here you are, trying to plant doubts in my mind. Second guessing my goals and desires. Do you want to prevent me from gaining the one thing, the single solitary thing I’ve ever wanted?”

“No Matriarch! No! I swear...I swear...I will help you in any way you need. I’m yours to command. I promise”. Denise rushes up behind the woman and hugs her, desperate for her approval and a return to her affection, though she finds none at the moment. Selina just stiffens more. Her rage was cooling, and despite her best efforts she turns and hugs the woman back.

“Never doubt me again” she says to the now much noticeably happier woman. “I won’t! I won’t! I promise you Selina. I swear! Bruce will be yours!”.

“Good. I’d hate to lose you at this critical juncture”.

Selina gently extricates herself from the woman’s needy grasp but continues to speak while she moves back to her desk. “Tonight, I intend to take Bruce down into the Court”.

This news shocks Denise but she inevitably knows that the plan was too far in motion to be stopped now. “When he comes tonight, I’ll slip something into his drink. A strong sedative. It’ll be enough for me to reveal who I truly am without fear of him escaping. I will use the service elevator to bring us down to ground level where my driver will be waiting”.

Denise felt her mouth go dry at the idea of such a bold move being carried out but she tries to keep the fear out of her voice, remembering all too well the consequences of her speaking mere moments before. “And what would you have me do Matriarch?”

Selina turns and glances over the woman with her bright green eyes aglow with anger. “Harleen Quinzel is going to be here tonight” she says. “Though she won’t be with Bruce. No. She’ll be across the street atop the Morrison building where she’d have a clear line of vision into this office”.

Denise waits with baited breath, barely able to cover her excitement.

“I want you to kill her. Slit her throat while she watches Bruce and I”.

Denise let’s loose a wide grin, always relishing the prospect of being able to kill on behalf of the court. ‘She’s trusting you with disposing of the one woman who stands in her way Denise. Don’t fuck this up’.

“Of course Matriarch. It’ll be done” Denise says while bowing.

“Good. Now...I’d like some time alone before tonight. Just..let me prepare”.

“Of course, of course...should I bring other Talons? To ensure the job is truly and fully done?”

Selina is silent for a moment but eventually she nods. “I want them all to witness my victory tonight” she says. “Tonight is the night that we seize control of Gotham fully by bringing the one most important cornerstone into the fold. We will have our king tonight”.

“I shall make them aware immediately Matriarch” Denise says.

“Good. All is forgiven”.

Those words were the only ones that needed to be said at that moment to calm the woman’s spirit. “Thank you Matriarch. Thank you!”.

Denise exits, not really wanting to test the waters any further at that moment. She knew it would be unwise.

Selina was happy to be left with her thoughts, ecstatic even. ‘Tonight is the night where everything changes for us beloved’.

She moves towards the drawer and opens it, looking in at the vial containing the dark liquid that was the vehicle for the transformation into a Talon. She hadn’t been entirely truthful with Denise. She wouldn’t use a simple sedative on Bruce. No. She would give him the formula.

It was the only way to truly incapacitate him. It would send him over the very brink of his physical endurance, even quite possibly his sanity. She knew it was a rash and bold step to make, but she also knew that the Court had used the weakened state of one’s mind while on the formula to mold them into what they wanted.

She closes the drawer and scowls, hating that she didn’t win him on her own terms without the use of the serum. ‘No. You would’ve. You would’ve Selina. If it hadn’t been for that blonde whore he would be yours right now’ she tries to mentally soothe herself.

‘And you are still winning him. The power of suggestion still counts. He will love me for me. I know it’.

“I have to hurt you my darling” she says to the empty office. “I have to hurt you before I can fully love you. You have to know my pain. But after that? Life is going to be so much better for you”.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

She grasps the side of the toilet again, heaving the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl. “Urggg”. Harleen lifts her head from the bowl and wipes the hair out of her eyes which fights to stay due to the sweat forcing it to cling.

“Harleen? You alright in there?”

“I’m fine Pam. I’m fine. Just...something I ate” she says, moving up to her feet and maintaining her balance to the best of her abilities. “You sure?”.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Gimme a minute will ya?”

“Okay” Ivy calls through the door, the doubt in her voice evident. Harleen looks in the mirror and sighs, more than nervous about tonight. She didn’t know why...but she had a very strange feeling, and it filled her with apprehension. 

“He’ll be fine. You’re on Overwatch. Nothing is going to go wrong”.

She takes a towel and wipes her brow, fixing her hair before turning and exiting the bathroom. To her expectations Ivy was still waiting there, arms crossed under her chest as she surveyed the woman. “What?”

She moves up and places her hand on Harleen’s forehead, trying to read her temperature. Harleen laughs and bats her away gently with her hands. “Sweetie...I love ya. I really do, but stop mothering over me. I’m fine. Just a stomach bug. All taken care of”.

The green skinned woman nods and smiles to herself. “Alright doc. But just know...I don’t care about many people enough to check their temps you know?”

“Yeah yeah, keep playing the hard ass act Pam” Harleen teases right back. “It doesn’t work on your best friend. Not after I saw you playing patty cake with Barbara”. Ivy blushes and rolls her eyes. “Good thing you didn’t see me throwing the football to Jason. Well...to be fair that was with Harvey too”.

“Huh..you know, with how much time he spends over here I forgot he doesn’t actually live here” Harleen continues while moving down the hall. She wanted to get ready for work, and she didn’t mean at Arkham. Though...that’s what the unaware residents of Wayne Manor believed. 

She hated lying to them, but she knew it was for their safety and her own. It was bad enough that Jason and Barbara knew, but it was almost shocking to her that they’d kept their mouths shut.

Ivy was regarding the blonde with a curious look, as if she had something that she wanted to say or ask. Harleen was just about to turn to confront her friend when she bumps into Jason who was standing in the hall. 

“Ooof...ohh hey buddy! Didn’t see you there. What’s up?” she asks while reaching down to run her fingers through his hair.

“Nothing much mom. I just wanted to ask if I could have my half an hour of xbox before dinner instead of after?”

Harleen smirks and looks down at him. “Ohh? And why is that?”

“Because my friend Jeff from school can only play now and I wanted to be able to show him the new trick I unlocked for the racing game”. She had caved to the pleas of the two youngsters and bought them an xbox one. ‘With my money!’ she says proudly though she feels childish for it. “Well...alright sweetie. You can play. If Alfred says anything tell him I said it was okay”.

“Thanks mom!” Jason wraps his arms around her legs and makes to move off. It suddenly occurred to Harleen that he had called her mom, and she instinctively reached out to grab his shoulder, the shock written on her face. She gets to her knees and smiles. “Jason sweetie...did you call me mom?”

The boy seemed suddenly bashful and he looks away in embarrassment. “Yeah...sorry” he says meekly. “I didn’t…”

“No, no Jason” Harleen says while leaning in and wrapping her arms around the young boy. “It’s okay! Please, if you want I’d really, really like it if you called me that”.

Jason wraps his own arms around her, nuzzling into her as best as he could. For Pamela the situation was equally shocking and utterly adorable, and she sneakily takes out her phone to snap a quick picture of the interaction.

Harleen backs up and rubs the side of the boys face before leaning in to kiss his forehead. “I love you sweetie. So much. You and Barbara and everyone else here are my whole world. Never forget that”.

“Okay”.

“Now...go play with Jeff and show him the car trick thing on that racing game”.

The boy moves off down the hall, happier than they had seen him in a long time. “He’s really settled in here huh?”

“Yeah”. Harleen replies, her mind a thousand miles away.

Ivy still couldn’t shake the question she needed to ask though, and she knew that it couldn’t wait any longer. “Harleen...you’re hiding something from me”.

The blonde turns and looks at the woman, a hopefully disarming smile on her face. “Nah Red, what would…”.

“Stop” Ivy says, putting a hand up to silence the woman. “Please just...stop. Don’t keep up the charade. What is it that’s going on?”

Harleen’s mind was racing, desperate to find a way out of this but not seeing a clear path forward at the moment. ‘Dammit. If only Bruce were here’ she thinks before remembering that he was waiting at Wayne tower for her to assume her position. ‘I have to go. Now’.

“You and Bruce...you sneak out at all hours of the night and don’t come back until the morning. You each give constant excuses but...Harleen...I...I need to know if something else is going on. Are you in trouble?”.

“No. No Pamela, it’s nothing like that! I promise”.

  
“Are you doing something illegal?” 

Harleen fought the wince that broke out on her face anyway. She knew that “technically” what they were doing was illegal. Highly illegal. But it was for the right reasons. The best reasons.

“No”.

‘Dammit...another lie’.

“Then what is it?” Ivy asks exasperatedly. “Harleen...let me help you. Whatever is going on, if it’s an issue, let me help it. You’re my best friend and...I hate that you’re hiding something. I share EVERYTHING with you, and it’s not just because you’re also my psychiatrist”.

That hit Harleen harder than most other things might have. ‘She does tell you everything…’.

“It’s not just your secret, whatever it is Harley. Even Bruce’s. You have two kids who look up to you, hell I just watched Jason call you his mother. Alfred, me, Harvey...don’t we deserve to know…”.

Just then Harleen’s phone goes off, and it shows her the message from Bruce. “Waiting in the lobby. Selina will be here in approximately half an hour”.

“Shit..”.

“Let me guess..you have to go..something happened at Arkham?” Ivy asks, now a bit angrily as she crosses her arms under her chest and frowns at her best friend. 

“Pam...I gotta go yeah” she admits with a defeated sigh. “It has nothing to with Arkham. You’re right. I’ll tell you...but I have to talk to Bruce about it first. Okay? Is that a fair deal?”

Ivy didn’t like it, but she knew that she’d made progress and she was beyond happy that she was closer to being put in the know. ‘At least the strange things that go on around here will make more sense’.

“Alright”.

Harleen launches herself at the woman and hugs her tightly. “Thank you Pam. Really. Thank you”.

She releases her and moves as quickly as she can down the hallway, knowing that time was quickly growing shorter for her to get in position. Bruce felt that this would just be a normal meeting with no danger inherent within it, and at first he didn’t want Harleen to come along as anything other than his date to an official Wayne Enterprise meeting.

But Harleen couldn’t shake the feeling that something would go horribly wrong so she’d pleaded and got him to agree to her providing overwatch, while her absence at the event would be explained away as her not feeling good. 

She hated leaving Ivy in the lurch like this, but she knew that at this moment Bruce needed here there. 

She could feel it in her bones.

**_Wayne Enterprises, Main Atrium_ **

“Bruce...I need to speak with you”.

The party and activity around them hid the man’s approach to one of his oldest friends, and the classical music and sound of conversation further hid his words. Lucius had a smile on his face, but Bruce could tell the man was rattled. 

He gives a wide smile anyway, posturing for anyone looking. “Of course Lucius. Let’s go to my office..” he begins, attempting to pull the man away.

“Ohh Bruce!”

A new figure entered the fray, preventing the two men from going anywhere. “It’s so nice to see you!” Selina says, leaning in to peck his cheek. “Ohh yes, Selina. The feeling is mutual”.

Lucius seemed to become pale at the sight of the woman, instantly communicating the fact that whatever he had wanted to tell Bruce had something to do with the woman whose company had effectively merged with Wayne Enterprises. 

Bruce pretended to not be aware of too many aspects of the deal, but in reality he’d gone over it with a fine tooth comb, counting on his vapid persona to hide his level of involvement. It put Kyle Industries under the protective umbrella of Wayne Enterprises, while allowing Selina a certain level of leeway over development in her own company. On paper it looked good, but...he felt uneasy at it.

He had wanted to fight it, but for some reason many members of the board were too dedicated to having the merger go through. He was vetoed by an outstanding margin, with only Lucius voting with him.

He had been investigating each member of the board for possible links to Selina, wondering if either blackmail or bribery was something of a key to this mystery. They were all squeaky clean however, which in and of itself was a warning sign. 

“Bruce..while the festivities are underway you and I should put the boring part behind us” Selina begins. “So we can get back down here and mingle with the rest of our friends and co-workers now”.

“Bruce...I really…” Lucius tries to intercept but is once again prevented.

“I’m sure Bruce will have some time a little later Mr. Fox but for now...let us just finish up the formalities hmm?”

Bruce couldn’t see a way out of this that wouldn’t make a scene, as people were already looking their way. The two CEOS of Wayne/Kyle were the center of attention for everyone in the room after all. Bruce places a hand on Lucius’ shoulder and tries to calm him. 

“It’ll be okay Lucius”.

“Alright...but...come see me soon” the black man says while casting a glance that was anything but friendly at Selina. Without another word he moves away and into the crowd.

“Well...he seems mad” Selina says jokingly.

“Well...yes. This is a big step for everyone here at Wayne Enterprises” he explains, hoping to keep their conversation formal and curt. Selina noticed that in an increasing frequency over their last few encounters, which only served to hasten her plans for the night.

“Well it is really the best move for everyone involved. I can promise you and Lucius that” she says, taking his arm and leading him towards an elevator, still maintaining the rapt attention of the room. She calls the elevator down and waits by the door, still maintaining her hold on Bruce’s hand. 

“I’m sure it is. We’ll be able to do great things for Gotham” he says as the doors open and he gently but pointedly extracts his hand from hers. Selina frowns in disappointment but holds her tongue, wanting only to get to her office where they could not only officially “marry” their two companies, but also where she could most easily carry out her plan.

“So...where is Dr. Quinzel tonight?” she asks as the car begins to ascend on its way to the top floor, openly trying to make small talk.

“Oh, she’s at home with Jason and Barbara tonight. She was feeling a little under the weather and these functions aren’t really all that entertaining for her”.

“Hmm...I’d have thought that being Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend would make her a little bit better at handling these types of get togethers” she says, trying to plant doubts in his mind though she knew it was an almost meaningless exercise. His loyalty to Harley, ‘for the moment’ she reminds herself, was unquestionable. She desperately craved the transfer of that loyalty from the “unworthy, blonde bimbo” as she called her, to herself. 

‘It will be rewarded threefold beloved’.

“Well...she thrives better in more relaxed situations. She really can win over a room. That smile of hers, always quick with a joke. She...she really is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met”.

Bruce said that to intentionally gauge the woman’s reaction, having guessed that her intentions towards him were...somewhat more than just friendly. He had initially dismissed Harley’s jealousy as just that...womanly jealousy. But over time, his suspicions seemed to confirm that there was more to Selina Kyle than met the eye.

She looks away, hiding her scowl at the moniker he’d applied to the other woman. “And how would you rate her as a mother to those beautiful kids of yours?” she asks, searching for any sign of discontent. 

Bruce doesn’t supply it. 

“She’s amazing with them” he says. “Taken to it like a duck to water. Any other woman...I don’t really know if they’d have been able to bring themselves to love a child that wasn’t her own like that. I know I’m wrong about that but I’m just kind of shocked at Harley’s flexibility. It was a lot to throw on our relationship that quickly. They love her so much”.

Selina smiles fakely, wanting to move onto her next question. “And how would you rate her as a lover?”

The man coughs, not having expected that at all despite his heightened state of alertness. “Ohh umm..wow..that’s a bit of a private question don’t you think?”

Selina had the answer to the question she asked, but not the answer she wanted. “Ohh..sorry. Remember...I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Milan. In Italy everyone is more open about these things. Sorry. Really. It was more of just a friend’s curiosity”.

The door to the elevator opens, the bell signalling that they had reached their desired floor. “Well, we’ve reached our office Bruce!” she says, reminding him of another fact that he didn’t exactly like. 

‘Harleen doesn’t like it either’ he reminds himself, remembering how angry the blonde had been when she found out that Selina was sharing an office with Bruce. The board had thought that it would effectively streamline things if their chief executive officers shared an office. It was...strange to say the least, but Bruce acquiesced as it would make the transition smoother. ‘Also, because I’m rarely here anyway’.

“Well...I have the papers on my desk! Let’s go partner”.

She moves into the room which was darkened except for the ambient light cascading out over the floor from a few lamps that remained lit. She was exaggeratedly moving her hips, hoping to draw his attention to her rear end obviously. 

It didn’t work. 

Bruce was too on edge to care about her seductions, and even if he noticed he doubted he’d be tempted in the slightest.

He steps into the room, unable to help the childish fears that in the darkness surrounding them, monsters and ghouls, intent on his demise were waiting there for him. Selina hunches over the desk and grabs a pen, showcasing the papers that laid on its surface. “Alright Bruce...let’s get this over with so I can open this celebratory bottle of champagne” she says. “I’ve never had a reason to be happy, not like this, so I bought something really nice to match”.

‘After all. A king and queen are being coronated’.

**_Across the Street Atop the Morrison Building_ **

She watched with laser focused attention as Bruce moved into the office, though she was paying special attention to Selina. “Pull a gun or a knife and you’re done before you even take a step”.

She was leaning against the ledge, trying to keep a low profile. She doubted that she’d be able to keep it up if anyone saw her. She felt strong at least, knowing that if anything were to happens she’d be able to help.

‘I should write a paper on that someday’ she thinks to herself. ‘How masks can help or hinder us’.

She puts those thoughts away for the moment however and returns to looking through the binoculars she’d brought with her.

She had a clear view of what was going on, and so far? Nothing untoward seemed to be happening whatsoever. That didn’t calm the feeling in her gut though. 

“What’s your plan bitch?”

She watches as Bruce leans over the desk and takes the pen, noting how Selina remains uncomfortably close, her hand going to his shoulder.

“Bruce…” she moans. “I hope you know what you’re doing”.

**_Back in the Office_ **

“Well, that’s it then”.

Selina takes the document and smiles as she looks upon it, absolutely loving how her name and Bruce’s are right there in black and white next to one another. She was able to pretend that their names mingled, her last name, which had never meant anything to her anyways, melted away and it became a document that said Bruce and Selina Wayne in her mind. 

She takes it and moves towards the frame she’d already picked out for it, placing it within and quickly sealing it behind glass. “Yes well….I’m glad we were able to put this to rest Selina. You are one tough negotiator” Bruce chuckles.

“Well thank you Bruce. Your company was not so easy either” she lies, knowing that getting what she wanted within Wayne Enterprises had been exceedingly easy. She picks up the sealed frame and moves towards the far right wall, placing it on the hook where she hoped to position it for the rest of her days.

“I’ve already sent a copy off to be notarized. Again, this was all really a formality” she shrugs, standing back and admiring how it looked there. “I just wish you’d been at the negotiating table more often” she admits while turning.

“It would’ve been nice to have some more time with you”.

He averts his eyes from hers, not liking the practically unhidden hunger that existed within those green orbs. ‘Alright, so she’s trying to get in your pants. Is there something more? Is she even involved in the court of Owls? I have to know...then, I can get out of here’.

“Selina…”.

“Ohh! One second Bruce. The champagne! Let me grab it!”

“Ohh no thank you…” he tries to beg off before she dismisses his protest.

“Ohh come on please? Just one drink with me couldn’t hurt right? We’ve got a lot to celebrate Bruce” she pouts, standing near the bowl of ice which indeed held a bottle of champagne. She pulls two glasses out as well and smiles at the man. 

“Just one drink teetotaler. All I’m asking from you” she says, lying directly to his face. ‘I’ll have more than just one drink with me out of you Bruce’ she thinks, salivating at how close her dreams were to realization. ‘I’ll have everything! Your name, your love. I’ll be the mother of those two beautiful children. You’ll forget everything you ever knew about Harleen Quinzel. She’ll just be a bad dream to you’.

Bruce steps forward and takes a glass, smiling lightly. “Alright”. 

She pops the cork and smiles as some of the foam moves onto the floor, though she ensure that most of it falls into the bowl. Quickly his glass is filled, and he waits for her to fill her own glass. She holds it out to him, a wide smile on her face. 

“To our future and the future of Gotham”.

“Ditto” Bruce says simply, clanking the rims of their glasses together. Bruce quickly brings it back to his lips and gulps it down, wanting to move on quickly to test Harley’s plans, which he was still sure wouldn’t pan out into a viable lead.

Still...he trusted his partner’s instincts. 

Selina also gulps down her drink, knowing that the serum would not affect her again. It was already coursing through her blood every second of every day. The pain had nulled after her first week. For Bruce though..it would be painful when it finally kicked in.

She puts down her empty glass and smiles while advancing on the man. “Now...you had a question for me?” she asks with a shy and nervous little smile.

“Umm yes...I wanted to ask you something” he begins. “Well, about something. I wanted to see if it had any meaning to you”.

“Well, whatever it is let me hear it. Let’s see if I can help you with whatever it is sweetie”.

He didn’t like the term of endearment, especially not from her lips. “Well” he forges ahead. “I’ve heard whispers about something. Something involving the wealthy of this city. A little...group let’s call them. I was just wondering, seeing as you also count, if you had heard of them and if you were extended an invitation”.

Selina mimics confusion before smiling and shaking her head. “Ahh. No. No. I haven’t been extended an invitation to this little group Bruce” she says vaguely, shocking the man as her first question hadn’t been about there being a group whatsoever.

He was definitely on guard now, as her voice contained a knowing tone that instantly set him off. She moves away but not very far, just far enough to get to her desk. She opens a drawer and retracts an object, something that was pure white.

She places it on the desk and allows him to see it, and it clicks instantly as to what it was. 

“We rule Gotham behind granite and lime” she says, smiling widely as Bruce begins to feel a burning pain in his lower abdomen. He falls to his knees, panting and sweating as he tries to fight through the blistering pain.

Selina moves from behind the desk, pity and sadness in her eyes as she advances upon the man while continuing to speak, though it was her own version of the nursery rhyme. “I’ve watched you at your hearth, and I’ve watched you in your bed. We’ve never been far apart, and now I’ve come for your heart”.

She lowers herself to the ground, watching as Bruce turns his eyes up towards her. Sweat was pouring down his brow and over his cheeks, and he could barely see as waves of pain overtake his body. He falls to his side, gripping his stomach. Selina moves quickly though, kneeling on the floor and allowing his head to rest in her lap.

He couldn’t do anything to resist. He could barely move. It took all he had to try and fight to stay awake. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. “You...you...poisoned me….” he accuses, remembering the champagne. He didn’t see the pin prick hole that had been screwed through the cork and down into the bottle. He couldn’t have.

“No..no...beloved” she says, crying gently while she caresses her fingers through his hair. “I would never. I love you”.

“It was...you...you at the docks” he gasps, realizing in that moment that she knew exactly who he was. It all fit together with the ease of a puzzle. ‘Ohh god...no...I walked right into her trap’.

“Yes. It was me. But things have changed since then Bruce” she pleads. “I am not just a Talon anymore Bruce. I’m the Matriarch. I lead this city, this family. And I’ve purified them” she says. “Ohh there is so much for you to know and understand and I can’t tell you it here. But no, you’re not being poisoned my love. You’re not dying. You’re being reborn. Like I was. Stronger, faster”.

She leans in and kisses his temple, forcing his body against hers as he convulses, his sight going even more as he feels as if he’s falling into blackness. “Shh..it’s pain now my dear. I know. I know but just listen to my voice” she says while crying even harder. “Let it guide you! Let me be yours and yours alone like I’ve always dreamed of. Ohh Bruce...the only good thing about this pain is you’ll be able to understand just how much I love you. How much you and I were meant to be”.

Her words pan out, like ripples in a pond as they advance into the darkness and the reaches beyond it. The next sound he hears is decidedly from the outside world, though it has consequences in the image his mind conjures up in response.

The sound of glass shattering bursts against the air, filling the room. In his mind he sees a dark shape exit from the darkness, heading straight for him. It was an owl, and within it’s long talons was a bat. 

The owl looked at him, its eyes aflame as it squeezes its talons, causing the bat within its grasp to screech out in pain.

The noise that came from its lips was a human scream though, and not a bats. He knew exactly whose scream it was as well, and it made his blood, which had previously been on fire, run cold.

It was Harley’s voice. 

**_The Morrison Building_ **

As soon as she saw Bruce drop, she was rushing into action, her hand moving to her belt to retract the batline to attach to Wayne Enterprises. She saw it all working out perfectly in her mind. 

She’d rush in, splay out her cape and use it to glide the rest of the way as soon as she was halfway across the gap between the two buildings. She’d use the shock absorbers built into her boots to minimize the pressure on her own legs and body while pushing it back against the glass, shattering it and giving her a way in.

That was her plan, a plan which her training viciously set about implementing through muscle memory.

Unfortunately the thing about plans is, that sometimes they were thrown off.

She feels the displacement of air from behind her and turns at just the right moment, ducking down and avoiding the clawed hand that swings through the empty air where she’d just been. 

“Lucky. The future Patriarch has trained you well” a woman says. Harleen tucks and rolls, turning and moving right back onto the balls of her feet, ready to thrust herself upwards and into the thick of it. She wasn’t prepared for what she saw though, and it was now her turn to worry.

On the rooftop of the Morrison building stoop about ten or fifteen Talons, the likes of which she hadn’t seen in months.

“Crap”.

The one who had taken the first swing at her assumes a combat stance and Harley does the same, her eyes constantly shifting to Wayne Enterprises to check on Bruce. ‘God, God, please help me!’.

She draws a batarang from her belt, happy that she’d prepared something in case of an ambush. ‘Thank god for my Puddin’s paranoia’ she thinks before letting the sharp metal fling through the air. It makes a wide arc around every one of the Talons who watch it’s trajectory into the darkness behind them. 

They seemed amused.

“If that was supposed to help...you failed..Miserably” the leader chuckles, the others joining in laughter. “I wasn’t aiming for you” Harleen says with a triumphant smirk. The Talons were confused for the moment, and turn as soon as they hear a loud creaking noise of bending and rupturing metal. 

They turn to see that the large water tower that dominated the far side of the building was leaning, the batarang thrown by Harley having evidently served to slice upon the binding cable line that kept it moored.

That, mixed with the high chilly winds that Gotham was experiencing that night, served to send the practically ancient and rusting tower down. Harleen takes the advantage granted to her by the momentary confusion and retracts the batline while also clicking the emergency call on her transmitter that was attached to her belt.

‘Dinah...Question...please...get here soon’.

She fires the batline and attaches it quickly to the other building, jumping off into the cold darkness at just the right moment as the freezing water makes impact against the Talons, sending many careening into the dark. Her focus was straight ahead, on the glass that she knew she’d have to smash through on the very first try. She braces her legs upward, ready to let go and sail through the night, turning herself into a veritable missile.

‘If the Talons are here...this was a trap! Right from the beginning!’

It crosses her mind that she was very fortunate to have called on the other two vigilantes for help. She didn’t know if they would get here soon enough, but she did know that if they did they’d at least provide a means of escape. 

She was close...so close.

Another shape sails through the darkness, and attaches itself to her back as the Talon who’d initially tried to kill her wraps about her shoulders, scraping into the skin with her metallic claws. “I’ll fucking kill you!” Denise screams, causing Harleen to let go of the line well before her intended release point.

  
Harleen felt the weightlessness of empty air below her and felt her heart drop with it. Her only thought at that moment was that she had failed Bruce and Jason and Barbara...everyone. 

Strange how your priorities are put into full view to herself when you’re on the verge of death.

She couldn’t open her cape, she couldn’t glide. She couldn’t even move. She felt them move forward though, and she realizes that with the added weight of the Talon’s body, and the release of the rope being much earlier, they are still on track for heading right into the glass.

She straightens out her legs, hoping that her plan would still work, even with how quickly it had gone awry. If it didn’t? Her and the Talon would both wind up careening down to the streets below, two flat pancakes to be scraped up by the highway department.

She ignores the pain in her shoulders before slamming her head back into what she presumes was the woman’s nose. She hears a sickening crack and a pained moan, though she doesn’t feel any release on her shoulders. 

She was glad that if they did manage to break through the glass that the Talon who had been insane or fanatical enough to jump on her back mid air would be knocked out. 

If not?   
  


She’d at least have a broken nose.

She feels her boots slam up against the glass, and then she feels her body continue on forward, shards of broken chrystals flying past her in the air before she slams down on the carpeted floor. She careens forward even further, knocking herself against the wooden desk.

She wasn’t down. Not yet. Which was good.

As her sight came back to her she could see Selina in her view, screaming already with her hands out in a fighting stance. 

She couldn’t hear the words the irate woman was saying, but she did know one thing.

She still had a chance to save Bruce.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and Gentleman.....we've hit over 200,000 words! Super happy that I've managed to do that. Now, for my next mile stone? 100 kudos. I need YOUR help to do that! Thank you all so much!

**_Wayne Enterprises, Office Of Bruce Wayne_ **

The world around her was still hazy, but that was something she was quickly acclimating too out of necessity. She stands on shaky legs, the impact having jarred her a lot more than she was really ready for. ‘Note to self, shock absorbers work, but not perfectly’. 

She instantly moves back into a position of alertness, apparently just in time.

While the Talon who had been insane enough to follow her into the darkness was knocked out cold, Selina Kyle was still very much on her feet. Harleen brings her arm up just in time, catching the blade that the woman had drawn in the steel ridges of her glove. 

Still, the tip managed to dig into the armor of her gauntlet and into her flesh a few centimeters. Harley screamed out in pain, shocked at the woman’s strength in being able to get that far. 

“You fucking bitch!” Selina screams, her face the very picture of rage. “He’s mine. Was always meant to be. You? You’re nothing! Do you hear me? Nothing!”

Harleen remembered her training, especially about what Bruce had said about keeping her cool and using the anger of her opponents against them. As much as she wanted to curse the dark haired woman back and get angry, she couldn’t. Not when she was so unevenly matched. Even now Selina was attempting to press the tip of the knife further into her arm, stopped only by the strength of the titanium fins.

“Ohh yeah? Isn’t how it seemed last night when I had him on his back” she says, an evil smirk crossing her lips to further anger the woman. 

It works, though if anyone had stopped to ask Harleen’s opinion she might tell you that it worked perhaps a little too well.

Selina slides the knife out and attempts to move it to the woman’s throat, wanting to use the momentary distraction that the movement would cause for a quick clean kill. Harleen wasn’t about to let that happen however, and she rushes forward to grasp the woman’s midsection. Selina was taken off guard, and even more so as Batwoman rushes forward and slams her back against the desk.

Selina howls in pain and rage before bringing her elbow down on the blonde’s back, causing the woman to buckle while she delivers a few quick and painful thrusts to the woman’s side. Despite the assault, Selina keeps up her punishment on Harleen’s back.

She couldn’t take it, and slowly she falls to her knees, the pain becoming too much. Selina wasn’t done however, and she grasps the woman by the hair and the side of her head, bringing her upwards to deliver a headbutt directly into her face.

The mask didn’t protect much in that region, so Harley once again felt her nose crack. Selina didn’t get off easily either, though she was much better at coming back from the pain than Harley was. 

With an effortless and dismissive grace, the Matriarch grabs Batwoman by her shoulders and throws her backwards, lifting her in the air before slamming her back onto the desk. Harleen gasps in pain, her back now inevitably one large trail of bruises. 

She rolls off of the desk and onto the floor where she remains for a moment, desperately trying to catch her breath and support herself on her palms. One of her hands comes up to her nose, wincing as she feels that it was indeed broken. 

“What is it about my nose that makes you freaks break it?” she asks, remembering how her first fight with the Talon’s had gone so many months prior. 

Selina braces herself, catching her breath and swallowing her anger as best as she could while she reaches up to inspect the cut on her cheek which was there courtesy of Harleen’s cowl. “The utterly punchable face you have”.

Harleen ignores the jibe and looks over towards Bruce who was still in pain. She saw him thrashing about, his eyes sealed shut and his teeth gritting against one another. “Puddin…” she says, making to move towards him. Her hand reaches out, her red glove so tantalizingly close to him.

Selina’s foot comes crashing down on the wrist, snapping it and causing bright cartoonish stars to block the woman’s vision. “I’ve had enough of you touching him” Selina seethes, digging her foot in even more to exacerbate the break. Harley screams out in pain as she grabs for her broken appendage after Selina pulls away.

“You bitch!”

“Language language. After all, you are a doctor” Selina mocks her with a cruel smile. The smile drops as soon as she sees Bruce, and she begins to walk over towards the man. She kneels down, touching his head yet again. The man doesn’t notice, or at least it doesn’t appear that he does, still lost to the intensity of his fever dreams.

Harleen moves to her knees despite the pain in her hand, or really all over her body at this point. She leans against the desk and tries to fight the tears she desperately wants to let lose. ‘I need to get Bruce out of here’.

“Just...let him go” she says.

“Pfft, like that’s going to happen”. Selina turns and appraises her, just at the same time as the Talon that had soared through the window with her begins to come too, moaning and pressing herself upward as she crunches against the shattered glass on the floor. Selina gives her a disapproving glance but sighs to herself and shakes her head.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes Matriarch”.

“Good. Your brothers and sisters appear to be okay as well”. Before Harleen could make sense of what Selina was saying, multiple thuds could be heard slamming into the side of Wayne Enterprises. She turns to see the grappling hooks the assassins were using to ascend the building, and their shadows are quickly exposed while making their way through the gaping hole in the window. They were wet, apparently having survived the fall off of the Morrison building courtesy of Harleen’s makeshift tidal wave. 

“Dammit…” she mutters to herself, desperately searching around the office for a way out or something to aid in her escape. Slowly...something comes to mind, but the answer to her dilemma came from her utility belt, and not the room around her.

_ “I only got a cursory glance at their eye lenses, but they were obviously light refractory. I’m guessing that their base is underground, which means that bright light isn’t something that would agree with them” Bruce said with a smile as he showcased the strange round metal orbs in his hands. _

_ “Think of these like a flashbang except…”. _

_ “A Bruce Wayne flashbang” Harleen teased him, running her hands up and down his chest as she takes one from his hand. “Which means it’s turbocharged”. _

_ “Exactly”. _

They’d carried them for months, expecting to run into the Court at any turn and be able to use them, but the situation hadn’t presented itself until now.

‘Puddin’...I hope to God you were right sweetie’.

She looks around and sees that Selina was now addressing her, making it impossible for her to reach for her utility belt without the woman seeing and making a move to intercept her. With how fast she was Harleen doubted that she’d beat her to the draw. ‘Let her do the villainy thing and talk, wait for a distraction. One chance Harleen. Don’t screw it up’. 

“Well my family. Look at who Bruce choose to be his mate and partner” Selina begins, grandstanding before her Talons. “This one. Couldn’t go toe to toe with me for more than thirty seconds. I guess that’s what happens when you choose a doctor for vigilante work huh?”

Harleen glares at the woman, not saying a word.

“Ohh, cat got your tongue? Are you shocked that I know who you are?”

“No. Bruce told me that you knew who he was from the beginning” she supplies. “You’d have to be very, very stupid to not piece it together that his girlfriend was Batwoman if you have that kind of information already filled in for you”.

“You’re not his girlfriend” Selina growls.

“Could’ve fooled me” Harleen teases back, meanwhile thinking that this was too easy. Selina doesn’t see that strategy slowly forming in Harleen’s eyes. She was secure that her plan would work. Too secure.

“Not for long. All you’re going to remembered as is a distraction. Something he regrets. Something they all regret”.

Harley feigns a moan of pain in order to move her hand to her ribs, thus closer to her utility belt, an act that Selina doesn’t even put any stock in other than to enjoy the pain on her nemesis’ face. “Take it from me doll, I know about obsessive personalities, can be one myself from time ta time. You got to let this thing you have against me go. It ain’t gonna end well for ya”.

“It’s already ending well for me, and don’t treat me like I’m one of your patients Doctor Quinzel. It doesn’t amuse me” Selina says. “Look around you. It’s over. I’ve won and you’ve lost. That’s all there is to it. You weren’t quick enough and now my family is ready to kill you for me”. She turns and moves back towards Bruce, kissing his cheek while he writhes on the ground.

“Do you know what it’s like? To be willing to do anything for the man you love? The people you love? I do. Look how far I’ve come because of it? And my reward? A family...and my king”. She was sensuously touching the man now, moving up and down his body without regard for anything other than being near him.

“Yeah...I do know what that feels like” Harleen fumes, her hand closing around the latch of the patch containing the modified flash bangs. She works it open quickly, her back turned to the Talon’s to prevent them from seeing the action.

“And as for him being your king”.

She rushes forward, shuffling the lens on her cowl to protect her from the visually impairing flash that was coming. “Go kiss another frog. This one’s mine!”

The Talon’s try to leap into action, but Harleen is a step ahead of them. She slams the metal balls down onto the floor, filling the room with a bright enough light as to make people in the surrounding buildings cover their eyes. 

It looked as if a white phosphorus shell had exploded, and it took a few seconds for the cowl’s sight protective technology to kick on. It didn’t matter. Harleen’s forward trajectory brought her right into the screaming Matriarch, who vainly tried to cover her eyes against the blinding light.

Harleen throws her fist out and catches the woman on the jaw harshly enough to throw her back onto her knees, twisting her whole body about with the force of the impact. ‘I’ve been waiting a while to do that’.

She leans down and with her good arm hefts up Bruce, allowing him to lean on her. He moans out in pain, both from the serum coursing through his body and the blinding light that was still present, though it was dimming by the second. “Bruce...puddin’...I know it hurts baby. Just listen to my voice. Alright. Walk. No...run!” 

He was out of it, more than out of it but his muscles were more finely tuned and well trained than hers. As soon as she started moving towards the exit of the room he seemed to realize that he was going somewhere. “Harleen?”.

His voice sounded scared and broken, a tone she never wanted to hear from his lips again. “Yes puddin’, it’s okay sweetie. I’m right here”. They were limping down the hallway now, the elevator before them. Harleen saw the flashing light and realized that they were in luck. “We’re going to get home sweetie. Home! We’ll be safe, I promise”. She slams her fist down on the call button, feeling as if the elevator was taking a millennium to open.

“Come on, come on” she pleads, trying to shoulder Bruce’s weight.

Meanwhile, back in the office, the light had now fully receded, and Selina moves to her feet. Her hands move away from her eyes, and she still feels the pins and needles pain from even the ambient light that enters into the still dark room. “That fucking bitch!” she screams, feeling the slight trickles of blood that move down her cheeks.

“Matriarch…” a voice calls out to her, and she turns trying to place it. The voice loses its significance quickly enough however, and she turns this way and that, only able to make out vague shapes in her skewed vision. She could tell that Bruce was gone.

“She took him! She took him!”

“We’ll get him back! We promise!”.

Selina makes to move towards the door, wanting to chase after them herself but she stumbles and falls, her eyes having lacked even the minor protection offered to the Talon’s by their masks. “No! You must stay here. Let them think you are uninvolved” Denise pleads, making the woman remember the hordes of people downstairs. 

“GO THEN!” she roars, tears streaming down her face and mingling with the blood from her damaged corneas. Without another word, the Talon’s begin to rush out, almost tripping over each other in the melee. 

Selina continues to cry, slamming her fist against the ground. “BRUCE! I HAD YOU!”. Her sobs grow louder, audible even to Harleen who heaves a sigh of relief as the doors of the elevator open. She quickly moves Bruce inside and presses the button for the ground floor. 

Her eyes widen as the Talons begin to turn the corner of the hallway, moving towards her with a speed she hadn’t expected but should’ve. “Dammit! Why can’t you stay down?!!” she screams out, pressing the button to close the door multiple times. It starts to close, but very slowly.

Just as the Talons are about to reach her, the slit in the door closes fully, sealing the elevator off to their advance. Harleen was breathing heavily, suddenly understanding how horrifying the horror movie cliche could be in real life.    
  


She turns to Bruce who was just barely standing on his own, and tries to soothe him. “Baby it’s okay. We’re safe puddin’. We just need to get you home. Whatever she did we can fix it. Alfred will fix you right up sweetie!”.

She doesn’t get a response, not from Bruce anyways, but a noise does break out from above them. The clanging of steel as something large and heavy lands atop the elevator car. “OHH COME ON!!”

The Talons had followed her down the elevator shaft, and were now working at breaking their way into the cart. The door at the top that was meant to be used for emergencies either wasn’t operating, or the Talons were still disorientated from her attack with the the flashbang.

She leans her ear against her shoulder, clicking on her comms link in lieu of using her still utterly broken hand. “Dinah! Question! Please tell me you’re on your way!”.

**_A Few Blocks Away_ **

“Hold on Batwoman! We’re almost there” Question says into his earpiece, turning the wheel to move his car around a taxi. They weren’t obeying any traffic rules, not now. Ever since they’d gotten the distress signal, the two had thrown themselves into action. 

  
Dinah was seated in the passenger seat, her eyes scanning out over the buildings as she tried to place the movements that were constantly drawing attention to themselves. “Babydoll...we’re being followed” the busty blonde says nervously.

“By who?” he asks exasperatedly. “We’re going sixty…”.

“I don’t think they care sweetie” Dinah says, watching as the previously unseen by them Talons jump from rooftop to rooftop. “Are these the Talons that Batman and Batwoman fought?” she asks, trying to hide her fear.

“Probably”.

“How the hell did they know we are going to help them?” she asks, this time practically shouting. “Dinah, they’re a secret society that supposedly controls Gotham. I don’t think it’s all that out of their realm to be able to hack communications”.

“Don’t snap at me!” 

“I’m not snapping I’m just...shit!” he says, swerving to barely miss a fruit stand. “I’m not snapping Dinah. We just need to move. Don’t be afraid to use those lungs of yours when we get out” he reiterates, moving on from their mini argument and near accident. “Where are we going...ahh screw it”.

She brings her own hand up to her ear, switching on the comm link in her communicator. “Batgirl, this is Dinah! Are you okay?”

“We will be as soon as you get here!”

“Just keep talking to me. Stay calm!” she says, trying to soothe her friend.

“WELL SORRY DINAH BUT THAT’S FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW!”

The sounds of a scuffle could be heard from wherever Batwoman was, and Dinah heard the sickening crunch and howl of pain, though it definitely didn’t come from Harleen. “That’ll teach you owl prick!”

Dinah could only guess at what she’d done and winced in slight empathy for whatever man had just crossed the other blonde. “Batman is hurt! Really bad. I...don’t know if he’s going to make it!” Harleen cries. “We’re almost there sweetie. He’ll make it. I promise. He’s Batman!”.

“We’re right outside Batwoman. Just hold on!” Question says, swerving the car onto the sidewalk right in front of Wayne Enterprises. The Talons keeping pace with them on the rooftop seem to hold back, disappearing into the shadows for the moment. 

Question is out of the car instantly, heading towards the lobby. “Dinah, stay here and keep the car running! I’ll go get…”.

“Q...we got a problem” Dinah says, stepping out of the car and glaring down the street. “What….fuck”. The Talons were hiding no longer, and they had jumped down to street level, utilizing the fire escapes of Gotham’s buildings to make it easy.    
  
Cars stopped and stalled all traffic on the road, and pedestrians were recoiling in fear as they advanced down the street. “Cover the front building” the leader says, a large man with a commanding presence made only more terrifying by his costume.

“What about these two? The Question and Black Canary I believe?”

“Kill them” he says in response.

Dinah turns her head over her shoulder and looks at her boyfriend, determined resolution in her eyes. “Sweetie, go fetch our friends please. I’ll hold these assholes off”.

“Dinah…” he begins to protest while reaching towards her. 

“Go, now babydoll. Trust me...they don’t know what’s coming”. She walks out into the street, swaying her hips and already assuming a fighting position as she allows them to form a line opposing her. 

‘Burr...chilly. Might want to think about designing a winter jacket Dinah. The fishnets and jacket aren’t a good mix for right now’. She found it humorous, the thoughts that came to her mind when she was about to face down against possibly one of the toughest fights of her life.

She puts her hands up and moves her fingers back and forth. “You boys are gonna get your asses kicked”.

**_Wayne Enterprises Lobby_ **

The elevator was just about to reach the bottom floor, and Harley was focused on making sure that none of the Talons got into the elevator. One already had, and he was laying on the ground, knocking out cold. Harleen was desperately praying he stayed that way, well aware that the only reason she was able to do so well thus far was that the Talons were still off their game. If the fight kept up though? She wasn’t sure that it could continue.

As it was the top hatch was moving back and forth, the Talons working with desperate force to open it. Harley had wedged three batarangs into the sides of it, and with every pull the titanium dug even deeper and deeper. 

The elevator dings, and the doors open, the light and noise of the party assaulting her ears as she steps out with Bruce draped over her shoulder. He was barely conscious at the moment, and had spent the entire way down mumbling incoherently. 

“EVERYONE OUT OF THE BUILDING! NOW!” she says, startling the party goers who back off at the sight of Batwoman carrying Bruce Wayne. “Ohh God!” one of them screams, just in time for them all to see the top of the elevator cave in, the car filling with Talons who rush outwards in pursuit of their prey. 

Harley growls to herself and moves forward. “Don’t these guys ever quit?”

The Talons were stalled in their advance by the numerous waiters and guests at Wayne Enterprises that night. One waiter had his tray slammed up into his face by an impatient Talon. Normally Harleen would want to turn and help, protect these people. She was also rational enough to realize that they weren’t the target tonight, and that Bruce needed her more.

“Batwoman!”

“Question?”

The man without a face and the blue overcoat stuck out like a sore thumb, and he rushed up towards the duo, grabbing Bruce without a second thought. “Where is...ohh”. He didn’t say anymore as it dawned on him, and it dawned on Harley that the man now knew who Batman was. There were more important things to worry about but she knew eventually there would be a conversation about that.

“We gotta get outta here!”

“I know. The Talons are outside too. Dinah is holding them off but we have to move now!”. The worry in his voice for the fishnet wonder was showing, and Harleen found it absolutely adorable. She was thankful for their being there, as she didn’t know if she could carry Bruce for much longer. Her arm was starting to really hurt, the adrenaline that had sustained her up to this point going out the window as she rushed along.

The security was further hampering the Talons, buying them some time. It wouldn’t stop them, not at all. Even now the guards hired for this event were being disarmed and thrown like ragdolls across the room.

‘I’ll remind Bruce to give them a pay raise’ she winces as they enter into the cool night air. Dinah was leaning against the blue muscle car that Question drove, appearing a little winded but no worse for wear. No cuts or bruises were on her body, something that instantly put Question at ease.

“Come on, we have to get him in the car!”

The two rush to the car, and Harleen opens the rear door for the masked vigilante to place Bruce in the back seat. Harleen quickly joins him as Question takes one quick survey of the scene. Talons were laying everywhere across the street, some dazed and others flat out cold. “Holy crap!” Harleen says in shock while buckling Bruce in. 

His head was lolling this way and that, and his breath was coming out raggedly. “Thanks” Dinah says breathlessly, moving into the passenger seat as Vic starts the engine. It was just in time too, as the Talons explode out of the front doors of Wayne tower. “GO! GO! GO!”

Question presses his foot down on the pedal, sending the car careening forward onto the street. The Talons just missed them, not being able to match the 280 horsepower of the 1970 Ford Mustang that the Question drove.

His concerns were on the road, and on his girlfriend first and most importantly. “Dinah are you alright? Did you get hurt? It was stupid. I shouldn’t have left you…”.

He’s interrupted by her leaning over to peck his cheek. “I’m fine sweetie. They didn’t get a hit on me. I used the old pipes to take them down” she says before turning around to look into the backseat. She’s confused for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. “Where’s Batman?”

The car is silent, with Harleen remaining close to the man who was still spasming. “Puddin’...please stay with me…”.

“He’s right back there Dinah”.

“Bruce Wayne is back...ohh….ohh crap”. Dinah suddenly felt like she fit the dumb blonde stereotype, and she turns to comfort her friend. “Batwoman….he’s going to okay. I promise, but where do we take him? What’s even happening?”

“Wayne Manor. I’ll explain there. But get there soon!” she says, Bruce’s heart rate having increased substantially. He was pale, paler than she’d ever seen him before, and he was beginning to froth at the mouth. “NOW HURRY!”

**_Wayne Manor, Kitchen_ **

“I’m sure that whatever it is she’s keeping to herself, you will be told in good time Ms. Isley” Alfred says, gently swatting Barbara’s hands away from the plate of cookies he had on the counter. “Not yet little miss”.

“Aww...just one? And can I take one to Jason too if I can?”

The pouting always got the little redhead her way, and she was even able to break through the stern countenance of the seasoned butler nine times out of ten. “Very well. But I draw the line at any more begging. You are not a puppy Barbara”.

He hands off two large chocolate chip cookies, fresh out of the batch he’d just taken out of the oven. He places them on a plate and hands it off to the little girl who smiles and rushes out of the room, making little barking sounds as she goes. 

“....I fear I’ve created yet another game for her to play” the butler says faux tiredly. Pamela was just smiling through all of this, watching the man as he returns to the dishes. She makes to open her mouth once more, before a hand covers her eyes. 

“Guess who” Harvey whispers into her ear. She smiles and bites her lip, pretending to mull it over. “Hmm...is it the UPS guy I have a crush on? He’s so cute you know. And he delivers all those big packages”.

“Har har, very funny” Harvey teases right back, turning her around with his hands before delivering a fiery kiss to her lips. “Hmm..even better. It’s my future mayor of Gotham boyfriend”.

“The one and only..” he says before blushing, remembering that Alfred was there. “Ohh umm...sorry Al”.

The old man rolls his eyes. “Please Mr. Dent. I was young once as well. Everyone in this house assumes that I am a blushing virgin maid for some odd reason” he goes on, continuing to wash the dishes. “It’s because you’re so prim and proper. The perfect English butler” Ivy teases. “But you were young once? Never would’ve guessed it” she says. “Tell me, any old flames we can know about?” she asks, adding a saucy wink.

“None that I could tell you about Ms. Isley. No. I’m afraid that my love life will be taken with me to the grave” he says resolutely, fighting the blush that was slowly breaking out on his face and giving Ivy more ammo for her teasing.

“Seee! Blushing old maid...well...butler”.

Before it can go any further, Alfred’s phone rings and he quickly removes it from his pocket while drying his hands. He was a little startled by who was calling, the protocol for such a call to hide their identities not being followed. “Ms. Quinzel?” he asks, instantly going pale white as he hears her voice, shaken by the woman’s sobs.    
  
“My god...what’s happened?”

His finger slips due to the shaking, and inadvertently puts the phone on speaker. “He’s dying Alfred! Please! We need help!” Harley sobs, causing Ivy to stand stock straight. “We’re getting into the cave! He’s having a heart attack!”

Alfred drops the phone on the counter, feeling a panic he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He’d never heard Harleen cry like that, and it pricked him as if he was hearing his own daughter cry out for him.

Ivy was now beyond frightened, her own heart running cold at the words she heard. “Alfred..who’s hurt? Is Bruce hurt?”

The man doesn’t respond, and instead he rushes back out of the kitchen, moving towards the den. He didn’t care at that moment about exposing Bruce’s and Harleen’s secret. All he cared about was that the man he raised was in trouble and the woman he had come to love like a daughter needed him to be there.

Ivy wasn’t letting it go, and she struggles out of Harvey’s arms. “Alfred! What did she mean by cave? Alfred!” she calls out, stopping the man by grabbing his arm. He turns almost angrily at being prevented from what he considered his sacred mission. “Alfred whatever is happening, let me help! You know you can trust me! Harleen and Bruce know they can trust me! Don’t block me out” she urges, the tears cascading down her own eyes now. Harvey just stood back in shock, not knowing what to do as they stood in front of the old grandfather clock.

Alfred decides quickly on his next course of action, a soldierly dedication to his duty and a lightning quick assessment of the tools he had on hand to do. “Mr. Dent..please watch the children. Ensure that they are safe and happy. Tell them nothing of what is happening. Ms. Isley...come with me, but focus on helping Bruce and Harleen first. Leave all questions, you will undoubtedly have many, until after the crisis has passed”.

There was something about the man’s tone that left no room for disagreement, and Harvey nods, having a practiced ease in knowing when to shut up. “Alright. I’ll go and sit with them. But I want to be put in the loop later”. He begins to move out of the room and up the stairs, knowing that the two children would most likely be in either one or the other’s room.

Alfred just turns back to the clock and opens the glass face, turning the hands to 3:30. He closes the glass again and steps back, reaching around the clock to open it. Pamela was shocked, beyond shocked but she keeps it to herself. 

The clock opens, revealing a dark entranceway with stairs, leading down into the bowels of...she wasn’t even sure what. “Follow me. Close the clock behind you”. Alfred steps into the darkness with a practiced ease that she finds it hard to replicate, unable to suppress the shudder she feels at the hidden entrance. She does as she is asked though, and the green skinned woman pulls the clock back into place by the handles installed at the rear of the door.

Her eyes go even wider as she advances down the stairs which open up into a cave.

She now knew what was going on, and it all clicked together with absolute ease. 

“Ohh..Harley...Bruce…” she says to herself, knowing that she was standing in the base of operations for Gotham’s famed vigilantes, who she now knew to be her best friends. 

“What have you gotten yourselves into?”

**_The Batcave_ **

Question’s car wasn’t specifically designed with entering the Batcave in mind, but with Harley’s guidance and her knowledge of how to get in, they managed. The Mustang skids in, just narrowly avoiding hitting the still parked batmobile.

Harley is out of the car as soon as it stops with Bruce in her arms, heading towards the gurney. She makes it a few feet before falling, the pain in her arm being debilitating at that moment. “Here, let me help”.

Dinah is beside her instantly, assisting by draping the other arm over his shoulder. “Over there, the medical table”.

They just managed to lift him onto it as soon as Alfred makes it to their ground level, ready to get to work. “What happened?”

“I...I don’t really know” Harleen says, still crying. “All I know is that she dosed him with something..Pam”. She finally turns and acknowledges her friend, the shock evident in her voice. Alfred moves to the table and opens the man’s shirt, working on attaching all the necessary equipment to read Bruce’s vital signs. He was still spasming and in pain, something Alfred instantly sets about remedying by trying to get morphine into the man.

Question and Black Canary are in the background, not wanting to intrude right at this moment. They hadn’t intended on finding out who the Batman was this way, nor Batwoman, and fighting out that it was Bruce Wayne while he was fighting for his life wasn’t the optimum time.

Pamela continued to regard Harleen with a cold look, one that Harleen couldn’t handle at that moment. She removes her cowl slowly, letting it fall to the floor while exposing her face to her friend. It was harder with her broken arm. 

Her face was tear streaked, and her eyes said it all. “Pam…”.

She couldn’t handle it if her best friend turned against her. Not now. Not ever.

It was not to be, and the redhead rushes forward, capturing the woman in her arms and allowing her to fall against her. “Harleen...you...you bitch...I can’t believe you’ve been doing this. You and Bruce?” she says, beginning to cry herself. “I wanted...I wanted to tell you” Harley sobs out, clinging to her. “Shh..it’s okay. It’s okay. Shhh….let’s just focus on you and Bruce right now. I can yell at you later”.

“Master Bruce! Ohh god...no...no! Master Bruce!”

Alfred had just put the syringe into his arm, adding the morphine to numb whatever pain was afflicting the poor man, but it had sent Bruce spasming even harder, thrusting himself up against the bed as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest. His heartbeat was erratic, beyond erratic, and they were quickly approaching a critical mass emergency. 

“Ohh no” Dinah says, her hand going to her mouth as Question holds her close, trying to keep her from watching.

Everyone panicked, except Pamela who bursts forward and shoves Alfred out of the way. “Move! Move! Too much adrenaline! He’s spiking!”

She places her hands on his chest and focuses, closing her eyes and beginning to sweat as something happens. Harleen moves right next to her, taking Bruce’s hand in her own and kissing it. “Bruce...Bruce listen to me puddin! Listen. You don’t have permission to die!”.

She didn’t move her hand away to wipe her tears, leaving her dainty digits interlocked within his much larger ones. “We have so much to do puddin’. We’ve...we’ve gotta get married. And we gotta have babies. The city needs us still too. We have so much too look forward too so don’t you go now! Ever! You don’t go anywhere without me! Ya hear!”.

Pamela heard her friend screaming at her unconscious lover but she was too focused on bringing him back to some semblance of biological normalcy. It was working, but very slowly. She was pouring everything she knew would help into him, her body working on overdrive to supply him the natural ingredients to calm him. She wasn’t lying when she told Harvey that she was a portable and near limitless bottle of aloe vera.

All the natural compounds that made up those medicines were now being used to soothe the man, whose heartbeat was rapidly slowly back to a rhythmic beat. 

Ivy was sweating profusely now, but she only had to hold out for a little bit longer. “Master Bruce…” Alfred says, walking back up to the bed and wiping his son’s forehead. “He’s stable” Ivy says tiredly, moving back and swaying on her legs. Alfred was quick to catch her, preventing her from cracking the back of her head open on the hard floor. 

“Thanks Al…” she says tiredly.

“No..no...thank you Pamela” he says, moving her into a chair. Harleen doesn’t leave Bruce’s side, though Ivy doesn’t blame her. The blonde was distraught, whispering into Bruce’s ear and smiling as she tries to coax him back to her with jokes and sweet nothings. These are interspersed with crying pleas for him to come back.

“Before you go and treat her” Pamela says tiredly, her eyes already closing. “Bruce was infected with a rare strain of mushroom. It’s rewriting his genetic code as we speak”.

“What’s it called? Perhaps we can find a cu…”

“There is no cure Alfred” Pamela says a tear leaking down out of her eye as she forces her eyelids to open, wanting to face the man. “All we can do is hope he recovers...I’ll keep treating him as much as I can but I have to rest to replenish...Bruce is strong...he’ll make it….”.

The woman dozes off to sleep, having transported many of her nutrients into the man to assist his body in fighting off the infection. Alfred leans in and kisses her forehead, hugging her tightly as well. “I never thought I’d have two women I loved like daughters” he says aloud before moving over towards the bed.

“Harleen”.

The old man leans down to place a hand on her shoulder, though the blonde could be a million miles away for all she cared at that moment. She just continued to talk to Bruce, whispering in hushed tones how much she loved him.

“Come back to me baby. I’m so sorry for not getting their sooner. I failed to protect ya puddin”.

“Harleen…” Dinah says, stepping forward and trying out the woman’s name for the first time on her lips. “This isn’t your fault. This is the Court’s fault sweetie. Whoever did this…”.

“Selina Kyle”.

“What?” Dinah asks, not knowing who that was. 

“She did this. She’s leading the Court” she fumes with barely disguised rage in her voice. “She did this. She knew who we are. Probably has from the start”.

She slowly gets up, moving away from the bed to get a blanket out of one of the medical drawers that were next to the bed. It’s placed over Bruce quickly, who relished the warmth now that he suddenly felt cold.

“Ms. Quinzel...let me treat your arm” Alfred says with a gentle tone. “Okay”.

Harleen stands and moves over to the other operating table, trying to work her way out of the suit and allow the man to treat her. Dinah is quickly upon her, working on helping her to the best of her abilities. When she is left in just her white cotton top, she hops up onto the table. Dinah takes her arm and feels along it, finding the break. “Ms. Lance I presume?” Alfred asks, the canvas and plaster cast already in his hands as he makes ready to apply it to the woman’s injured limb.

“Just call me Dinah” the woman says, causing Harleen to wince as she touches the break yet again.

“He won’t. Trust me Canary”.

Dinah smiles up at Harleen and shakes her head. “Well, I guess Ms. Lance fits for now” she says before casting a look over at the Question, who was already seating himself at the batcomputer. It’s a look that doesn’t go unnoticed by the other blonde. “You two look good together”.

“We are” Dinah blushes. “And don’t worry about him on the computer. Odds are he’s leaving as much info as he’s taking”.

“It’s fine. Trust me. If Bruce gets mad, I’ll handle it and say I told him he could”.

“This is going to hurt...a lot Harleen”.

“I know. Just get it over with”.

“Are you quite sure you do not wish for me to…”

Before the butler can finish his words the bones are snapped back into place, and Dinah continues to hold them there as Harleen turns pale, stiffles her screams and then leans over to vomit over the side of the table.    
  


“Harley!” Bruce chokes out, having heard her muffled cries. He shakes slightly in the bed but is unable to move. “Puddin...I’m...I’m fine” she calls out, noticing that her voice soothed him. “Just...ohh fuck that hurt...just rest. Rest baby”.

Rest was not to be had for the man who is tormented by whatever his mind was conjuring up, but he does seem to calm, if only slightly. 

Alfred moves forward, quickly applying the cast to the woman’s arm while glaring at Dinah. “Hey...sorry”.

“It’s alright. Glad you didn’t give me fair warning. Id Ida’ known it was comin’ it would’ve been a lot worse”.

“Ms. Quinzel...what do we do from here?” Alfred asks, not sure of what Bruce’s contingency plan would be. There was so much in the air at the moment, and Wayne Enterprises was now also being run by the Matriarch of the Court of Owls.

“I don’t know Alfred. She knows...well, I’m going to bet everything”.

“We can’t be sure that they…”

“Beware the Court of Owls, which watches all the time...I don’t think they’d include that part of the story if it didn’t have some truth to it goldilocks”.

“Hey, you’re blonde too!”

The petulant retort somehow got Harleen to laugh, something she desperately needed to do at that moment. She comes back to the issue at hand quickly enough though, and she turns to fix the two people next to her with a stare. 

“You and Question are going to need to stay here, at least until this blows over”.

“Why?”   
  


“Because she knows who you are and that you’re with us now dummy” Harleen teases. “And the batcave is the safest place for us right now”.

“How are you sure that she won’t send her personal army after us Ms. Quinzel?”

She looks down at her feet and shakes her head, unsure of how to answer that. “I don’t think she will. The Talons were off their game tonight. She knows we can beat them. It’s a close thing but we have toys to come out on top. Also, she knows who we are, but we also know who she is. She’s not going to give up all that power if we reveal that she and the rest of the rich jerks in this city are in their own personal mafia slash good ole’ boys club”.

“What makes you so sure?”

Harleen nods toward Bruce. “Because she wants my puddin’. She’s not going to reveal his secret, and she isn’t going to go on the attack. Not while we still have him”.

“She’s right” another voice interjects as the Question joins the war council. He reaches into his pocket, retracting the aerosol spray can before plastering it over his mask which begins to peel away. 

His face is revealed to everyone else, and Harleen found it odd to see the man’s face after all this time. “Vic Sage. Investigative reporter”.

“Charmed” Harley says sincerely before turning to Dinah. “A redhead? I mean, it’s dark red but...still...a ginger?”

She was happy for the distraction, and she needed it more than anything else at the moment aside from Bruce coming out of his coma. “What can I say? He’s handsome and he’s a god in bed. Ain’t that right babydoll?” she asks, molding into his side. 

“Not as much as she is a goddess” he retorts, blushing as red as a tomato. “But Doctor Quinzel is right. We need to remain where she can’t get at us, or where we’d at least stand a solid chance of fighting back. She’ll be coming for anyone we’re close to on the outside. Who else would that include?”

“Commissioner Montoya definitely” Harleen says. “It’s become pretty much an open secret that Batman, Batwoman and her are working on cleaning up Gotham”.

“Well Montoya is pretty safe I’d say. Too high profile and not disposable like Loeb and Sharpe were”.

“What makes you say that Loeb was an Owl kill?” Harleen asks the formerly faceless man.    
  


“A gut feeling. I happen to know Loeb’s...movements, because of a favor for a friend. When he’s drunk as he was, he doesn’t even bother getting out of bed. Security camera footage also picked up a black clad figure leaving his home”.

“How did the police miss it?”

“It was footage from across the street, a neighbors house. Since it wasn’t ever a criminal investigation they didn’t think to ask around. I was investigating further, hoping to coalesce it around your notes on the Sharpe case”.

“Alright” Harleen says. “How the hell did you know anything about the Sharpe case? We hadn’t talked to you about that”.

“Didn’t need to hear it from you” he explains. “You told Montoya and that was enough to tell me”.

“So is our commissioner really just your asset?” Harleen teases good naturedly. “No. She didn’t even know that she is the one handing me this information. All she knows is that Vic Sage, investigative journalist, assisted her in getting out from under a blackmail threat and in return she helped me with the cases involving missing kids”.

“Huh”. Harleen couldn’t hide it. She was impressed.

“Guess that explains your in with Montoya then. Only guy I know who’s more thorough than you is my puddin’”.

Vic remained impassive in his facial features but a slight smile tugs at the corner of his lips eventually. “I consider that the highest compliment. Now, is there anyone else?”

Harleen mulls it over for a moment and her eyes widen in fear. “Ohh god...mama”.

She rushes up to her feet but almost falls, still being dizzy from all she’s experienced. “Hey, hey easy, easy!” Dinah says, urging her back down. “Your mom...right. Crap do you think they know about her?”

“They definitely know about her. Alfred. I gotta go get her! I gotta bring her here!”

“Ms. Quinzel, nobody is any condition right at this moment to go out there. We cannot leave until Bruce is more stable, or Ms. Isley is awake and able to assist him” he says before taking her cheeks in his hands. “But I promise you. I promise you as soon as the sun rises, we shall go directly to her apartment and drag her kicking and screaming here if we must”. He brushes his hands through her hair, calming her in much the same way that she would calm Jason or Barbara.

“Okay...but if a single hair on her head is hurt...or...if Bruce gets worse...I’ll..”.

“I know...I know” Alfred says, hugging her tightly to him. He couldn’t bear to hear those words from her lips at that moment as he feared in the very center of his soul that he would agree with her. “It’ll be okay. We’ve survived another nght, and we shall continue to do so”.

“He’s gonna make it Harley. After all...he’s the goddamned Batman right?” Dinah asks with a pure belief in her heart that the caped crusader would get through this. 

Harley was desperately clinging to that same hope.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this chapter might be a little stale, if so I apologize. :/ But it's really just prep for the next chapter which I know is going to be awesome! Just wait and see.

**_Wayne Enterprises, Office of Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne_ **

She looked out over the city that she held dominion over, but she couldn’t feel anything. Not at that moment. Since the night before she couldn’t sleep and she had instead just laid in her bed to greet the morning sunrise with the evidence of her tossing and turning in the night. She’d answered the police officer’s questions, sowing the seeds of the story she was hoping to use to eventually gain Bruce back. 

The yellow police tape fluttered across the gap between the broken glass, the wind blowing gently into her office.

“Ms. Kyle?”

“Whoever it is..”

Renee steps into the room regardless of the harsh tone that she received from the other woman. “I’m afraid it’s important”. Selina turns and regards the woman through her still bloodshot eyes. She had received the least damage to her corneas from the light, due to the extensive time she’d spent above ground without the protective lens. 

The thought that the Talons who had failed her so spectacularly last night had suffered far worse was little balm to her wounded hurt. She tries to smile, finding it easy to maintain the facade of grieving business partner at that moment. “Ohh..yes..commissioner Montoya. Hello. Congratulations on your promotion. I heard that it had happened but didn’t think much of it at the time. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Happy to put a face to the name”.

The false smile falls away, replaced by real tears as she sits in her chair. “I’m uhh...thank you” Montoya says unsurely, moving closer to the still sobbing woman. She didn’t know what to do, and was stuck somewhere between the desire to comfort and the suspicion that Selina Kyle was a far more complex puzzle than one might initially think.

“I’m sorry but...you seem to be taking this a little hard” the hispanic woman asks, a tone of light accusation in her voice. “I wasn’t aware that you and Mr. Wayne were anything more than business partners”.

That was common knowledge. The merger between Wayne Enterprises and Kyle Industries was legendary and had shook the entire business world of Gotham city and beyond as well.    
  
“Ohh...well...I...we weren’t…”.

Selina sighs and shrugs her shoulders, pretending as if she was unleashing some giant secret. “I wanted us to be more”.

“Ahh…and what about Doctor Harleen Quinzel?” the commissioner asks in return, having had first hand experience of the relationship between the two. Selina closes her eyes and angrily shakes her head before turning to face the commissioner. “She was…”. The woman pauses to collect herself, taking a deep breath. “She’s not good for him. She’s just using him for advancement and Bruce...Bruce was unhappy with her. He admitted it to me. I was working so closely with him that I’d started to hope he might...I don’t know...wake up. We were going…”.

The woman stops and blushes, while Montoya takes notice of how her body movements seemed...forced, inauthentic. ‘She’s hiding something’.

“You were going to what?” Montoya asks, urging the woman on.

“We were..about to share a kiss” Selina says. “Before the glass blew and Batwoman with these...I don’t even know what they were, came into this office!”.

Selina stands up abruptly and moves towards the woman. “She took Bruce! I don’t know why or what she’s planning but she took him! And those...those horrible things! Ohh god they chased after the both of them. They looked like...like…”.

“Owls” Montoya supplies, having already gotten multiple descriptions alongside Selina’s second hand description to another officer, the first one on scene who’d interviewed her.

“Yes, exactly. Owls” Selina nods enthusiastically.

“Hmm..it is odd”.

“Do you think Bruce is...dead?”

“No, I don’t think so. But we’re on the lookout for any possible leads regarding where Batwoman could’ve taken him” Montoya says. “Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything else you saw? Please, even the smallest detail could help”.

“I wish I could help commissioner” Selina says before pointing to her eyes. “But as soon as she picked up Bruce, after attacking him I might add, she dropped these...steel balls of some sort. I couldn’t see anything. They exploded and all I saw before being blinded was Batwoman moving towards Bruce. When I could see again...they were gone”.

Montoya doesn’t say anything else, and instead fixates on the room. It had already been scrubbed, top to bottom by the GCPD forensics unit. She wasn’t even technically supposed to be here.

After the assault Selina Kyle had been interviewed on live television to explain what had happened. She went on a long tirade against Batwoman, claiming that she was a menace to Gotham city at large and begging for any information that would lead to Bruce Wayne’s return. She even put out a seventeen million dollar bounty, an extraordinary sum that was strange to have on hand.

Montoya was livid at this for two reasons, though she hid them well in front of the woman.

It was well known throughout the department that Montoya had a working relationship with the Bats as they were called. By having one of the joint CEOs of Wayne/Kyle Enterprises come out against her, many of the former Loeb loyalists were using the incident to try and bat their new commissioner over the head. It wasn’t working.

For now.

Still, it gave her a reason to worry about her position and how secure it was. 

The other reason that she was angry was that she wasn’t able to control the situation or the attendant panic it caused. The department was unable to deal with the flood of panicked calls or even the crank calls of people with nothing better to do but waste precious police resources. 

She sighs to herself, knowing that she couldn’t exactly say that Batwoman wasn’t involved. Everyone saw the footage of her carrying Bruce Wayne out to that car. But everyone had also seen the figures chasing her down.

She didn’t know what to make of it, and with the car’s noticeable lack of plates she didn’t have much else to go on. How could she track down everyone who owned a blue 1970 Ford Mustang in Gotham city?

“Alright...well, if you hear anything else like I said, let us know. It’s going to be vital for the next forty eight hours that we jump on any possible lead we find. If someone calls for a ransom, we need to be the first to know about it”.

Her words were an audible chastisement for the other woman, her propensity for going to the news media before going to the police already established at this point. Selina nods but knows that she already had her own plan in the works that had nothing to do with leaning on the police.

She stands up and moves back towards the door, following the commissioner out. “Also, maybe you shouldn’t stay in this room too much. Considering how...traumatic the events of that night were for you, and also that huge gaping hole in the window it might not be safe. Plus it’s chilly”.

“Don’t worry about me commissioner. Just worry about finding Bruce. You can start by bringing in Batwoman”.

“Are you telling me how to do my job?” Renee asks with a pointed glare which Selina eagerly returns as they stop at the doorway.

“As a matter of fact I am. If you hadn’t let her run roughshod over the city without any consequences none of this would have ever happened”.

“Pardon me, but it’s really only you attributing that kind of negative motive to her actions that night” she retorts. “Everything else seems to think that she was saving Mr. Wayne from the men and women attacking him. What I’m curious about is this” she pauses to outline the facts. “If they were after Bruce’s money, or possibly the company like you’ve suggested in that p.r stunt of yours on the tv….why didn’t they take you too?”

Selina felt like she was being crushed in a vice as the questioning gaze roves over her, and she felt stupid for not having an answer. “It just seems odd. Stealing away one of the executives of the company, leaving the other in effective control of the whole thing. As a matter of fact, why have you been ruled out as a suspect?”

“How dare you?!” Selina seethes.

“Just checking all corners like a good cop. Doing my job so to speak” Montoya goes on, still standing in the doorway of the office. “Hell, control of an immense company like this? That’s a motive all in itself. If you ask me it’s suspicious how you even got control of Stagg Industries. Your whole record...it’s too squeaky clean. Nothing out of the ordinary, which in and of itself is something that isn’t ordinary”.

Selina’s blood was pumping, running both hot and cold at the same time as she glared down at the slightly shorter woman. Montoya wasn’t backing down. If she wasn’t in such a rage she might respect the other women...before slicing her throat and throwing her body to the street below. 

“I would suggest not going anywhere. Staying in the city. You know, for your own safety”.

“Are you saying I had Bruce kidnapped to seize control of his company?”

Selina could feel her hands shake at the very notion of her doing something so selfish and cruel as to steal her beloved’s father’s company away from him. ‘I’m its steward for now. I will eagerly return it and more as soon as he recovers and is healthy enough to lead’.

“I’m not saying that. You did. You put that conspiratorial little thought in my head miss chief executive officer” Montoya smirks, enjoying that she’d gotten the woman off balance. “Ohh one more thing. Batwoman. You seem to really hate her, but you haven’t said a word about her hunky boy toy. What’s up with that?”

Selina just glares with her pursed lips. Her anger was close to spilling over, and she knew that if the commissioner didn’t leave in the next minute she would inevitably be dead. She didn’t have the time nor the resources now to make that happen without raising too many eyebrows. Only now did she regret the high profile of the case, though she knew that she’d not helped that issue at all.

‘I thought it would turn people against Batwoman…’ she muses, wondering why she’d been so naive as to believe that would happen.

“Have a nice day commissioner” she says, making to close the door on the woman. Montoya just gives a smirk and a fake little salute. “Sure, sure. I’m going”.

As she turns to walk down the hall, she is passed by a well dressed secretary who was apparently heading towards the office with a few papers in hand. Montoya normally wouldn’t have looked twice but something about the woman’s stance interested her. 

She was hunched over, frighten almost. She also wore a pair of sunglasses that completely covered any look at her eyes. She’d noticed that a few times on her personal investigation of the building, and it reminded her of how battered spouses might cover up black eyes.

‘Hmm...Kyle had something wrong with her eyes. Because of the flashbang supposedly’. She calls the elevator and waits for it, stepping in to ponder how even that level of an optical wound from a flashbang wa strange. The doors close, leaving her along in her thoughts as she descends the elevator shaft. 

‘Only someone not used to light would have that kind of reaction I’d bet. But come on, you’d have to be part mole rat to never have any real exposure to light to cause something like that’.

Her thoughts return to the numerous figures about the tower that wore sunglasses as well. ‘If they’re all sporting the same kind of marks, that would mean Selina was lying about being alone in the room’.

She looks back up and watches as the floor indicator gets closer and closer to ground level. ‘No, she wasn’t lying about the people in the room. I’ve got a gut feeling it was just her and Bruce like she wants. That woman’s got the hots for our most talked about bachelor. But...add Batwoman to the mix, and her assailants….’.

The elevator opens and she steps out with her hands in the pocket of her suit. Her mind was already whirling with theories and ideas, some of which were becoming rapidly more plausible as time went on. ‘Gotta talk to Batwoman. Sort this out. I have a feeling that some of Mr. Wayne’s assailants are still in this building’.

And the ring leader was sitting in his chair right at the top of the building.

**_Back in Bruce’s Office_ **

“Is she gone?”

“Yes Matriarch. Security shows that she has left the building” Denise responds with her head completely bowed. “Good”.

Selina paces up and down the office, unable to suppress the energy that coursed through her very bones. “She knows. She knows or she suspects something. Either way, she must be removed”.

“Matriarch, we cannot make that move at this time. Who would we replace her with? It’s too much of a risk”.

“Do not lecture me about risks!” Selina shouts while picking up an end table and slamming it into the far wall as if it was just a dog toy. Denise flinches, unable to keep steady in the heat of the woman’s rage. “You failed last night!” Selina says, advancing on the woman who holds her ground. “You were supposed to kill her! You begged me for a chance to redeem yourself and yet here we are. You couldn’t kill on soft fool on a rooftop. You and your brothers and sisters all failed me. Miserably”.

“We did Matriarch...and I am so sorry”.

“You? You’re sorry?” Selina asks sarcastically. “Bruce is alone! He’s out there, suffering through the horrid dreams and thoughts that the serum puts in your mind as his body is broken down and reformed, and I’m not there to help him!! I am supposed to be there beside him, holding his hand and making him love me. But you’re sorry?!”

Selina was crying, hot tears that were still mingled with the blood of the broken vessels that lined her eyes. “Why does everything go wrong? I’ve given you all everything. Why can’t you let me have my love? Why?”

She was sobbing uncontrollably now, and Denise was once again at a loss for words. “Do you hate me Denise? Is that it? Secretly have you hated and plotted against me? Tell me so that the games may end and we can fight to the death for control of the Court”.

“Never Matriarch. Never” Denise insists breathlessly, the very thought of such a betrayal making her want to vomit. She was afraid to approach the woman, not wanting a repeat of the last time she’d attempted to comfort Selina by suggesting she choose a different mate. 

“He’s there” she whispers. “In the cave. With her. She’s there right now, in MY rightful spot, holding and caressing him. It is her voice he associates with comfort. I am loosing valuable time and that cannot continue”.

She straightens herself up and wipes the bloody tears away from her face. 

“Every moment she is there and I am not...how quickly can we mount an assault on Wayne Manor?”

The question was not a welcome one for Selina’s underling at that moment, and she just shakes her head in disappointment. ‘We have failed her...yet again. Weak. Pathetic’.

“We cannot Matriarch. At least not anytime soon. Too many of our number were wounded last night. Including Charles…” she says, unable to suppress her wince at how her husband and mate had been injured. Not only had the flashbang stunned him, doing probably irreparable damage to his eyes, but Harleen Quinzel had deliver a swift and fierce kick to his groin that had left him in pain even now.

‘If I ever get the chance again...I’ll repay it in full you whore’.

Selina was not at all pleased by the news, though she works to continue to keep her emotions in check. “How is Charles?”

“He is...recovering Matriarch. The events of last night were taxing to say the least. He is home with our son” she says simply, not wanting to dwell on the fact that she desperately wished to be there as well. 

“...I am very sorry to hear about the injuries our family suffered last night” Selina says. “I am only thankful that nobody was killed. Quinzel is going to pay for this. All the suffering she’s caused”.

The Matriarch is silent for a moment, though quickly her plan is hatched. “Our numbers aren’t great enough to keep up our normal operations across Gotham and make an assault on Wayne Manor at the same time. So...we must strike where we can hit them. Bruce has a long range of associates. Do we have knowledge on their current whereabouts?”

“Yes Matriarch. Unfortunately, a good number of them are at Wayne Manor. Our scouts tell us that Vic Sage and Dinah Lance, the two vigilantes most involved with their escape last night did not return home”.

“That means that they are at the manor as well?” Selina asks.

“Most likely. They are joined by Harvey Dent and Pamela Isley”.

Selina couldn’t help but scowl, knowing that if the Court had to come face to face with the one called Poison Ivy that she couldn’t guarantee a victory. “That makes our number shortage even more distressing”.

She turns back to the window to look out over Gotham, pondering what it was that attracted so many villains and heroes. “Yes Matriarch. Unfortunately so. A few of the number who had fought the one they call Black Canary, Dinah Lance, have recovered enough though their ear drums are still shattered. We’re not sure if they’ll ever quite regain the level of hearing that they had before”.

“We can find a way around that. I’m sure there was something in the files I read about Wayne Enterprises medical division concerning an advanced hearing aid” she says dismissively.

The room falls silent while Selina mulls over her options. Getting Bruce back at this time was impossible she knew, but there was one option available to her that might draw Quinzel out into the open.

“She has a mother correct?”

Denise looks up and nods slowly. “Yes. A Mrs. Elise Quinzel. She lives alone in her subsidized apartment within the Narrows”.

“Good. She took Bruce to visit her not too long ago as well?”

“Yes. They spent about three hours there” Denise supplies.

“Hmm..do you think we’d have enough abled bodied souls to extend a visit to the elder Ms. Quinzel?”

Denise felt a wicked smile curve her lips, the thought of being able to inflict a sadistic level of violence upon a defenseless target truly warming her heart. “Well, I’d say that we could most likely swing that”.

“Good. I wonder if in all the panic Harleen ever even thought about her dear old mom stuck half way across the city where she stood no chance of protecting her?”

“She is still there at her apartment” Denise says, having looked up from her phone after indeed confirming it. “Sipping tea at her kitchen table at this very moment”.

“Wait until tonight..though let me know if anyone leaves the Manor. As a matter of fact, as soon as anyone attempts to leave Wayne Manor, send your men in” Selina orders imperiously. “It will be done Matriarch. How many should be assigned to this task?”

“Three should do, though I want you to lead the mission”.

Denise’s eyes widen under her sunglasses, and she doesn’t know what to say at that moment. 

“I have not lost all hope in you being able to redeem yourself yet Denise” Selina explains. “I am not cruel. I know that I have to bear the brunt of the blame for what has happened. I haven’t thought it all through. I was naive. Maybe even…” she turns her head over her shoulder and smiles lightly. “A little love blind”.

She drops the smile and turns away once more. “No more. I cannot walk this tight rope without hurting Bruce, without breaking him completely and utterly. I’ve been soft, wanting to have him come to me as easily as possible. He must be defeated and destroyed as much as it hurts me”.

Her eyes trace over the Gotham skyline as she takes it all in, knowing that before the fruition of her plans came the entire city would burn. Many would die. She hated that, but only because of how much effort she’d wasted in trying to do things in a clandestine way. 

She needed to seize control of this city, now. 

“So, I’m keeping you close because right now you are the most experienced of the Talons aside from me. You and your husband have already lost so much. If I’d been more brutal and more decisive with my decisions then our work would be done and you’d be resting, preparing for Christmas like I would be”.

“That ends now. Get in position. Blood must be spilled”.

“Yes Matriarch”.

**_???????????????_ **

He didn’t know where he was. All he could see were dark and long winding hallways that he wasn’t sure led anywhere. He could hear noises, but even those were far off and distorted. He could tell what they were though.

Screams.

“Hello?”

Bruce’s voice echoes down the empty corridors, bouncing off of the concrete walls and reverberating into the floor where they were muffled by the slight layer of water that rested there. He heard nothing for a moment, and he steps forward to try and find his way out.

“Hello? Answer me!”

The cavernous space had become as silent as a tomb. “Who’s there?”

He was now turning, this way and that in a desperate search for anything or anyone that might be out of place. To his surprise he finds something. At the end of the long corridor was a black space, in which stood a lamp post. It’s bulb flickered in the stygian darkness, and bugs flew to and fro around it.

He begins to rush to it on instinct, desperate for the comforting embrace of the warmth that obviously attended the light. “Hello?” he calls out again, still desperate for any form of human contact.

He reaches the light in no time, though when he gets there the difference is not all that noticeable except for the presence of the light. All around him the darkness pressed in, with the light only serving to make him feel even more surrounded by the oppressive blackness.

He leans against the steel of the post and takes a breath, wanting to orientate himself if that was even possible.

“What?”

He hears something, and he perks his head up in an attempt to get a better fix on where the noise was coming from. It sounded like...footsteps, and they were heading in his direction.

“Hello? I hear you. Please! I’m over here”.

He hated how needy and desperate his voice sounded, though he didn’t care in that moment as the sound became louder and louder. In fact he could even begin to make out the silhouette of two figures advancing on him. He couldn’t move from the post, something about its being there giving him a sense of safety. 

“Hello! Yes ohh thank God!” 

He waves his hands at the approaching figures, trying to wave them down.

“Ohh Thomas...stop!”

The giggling voice...he...he remembers it, and it send a chill down his spine. “Ohh Martha, you’ll just have to find a way to make me” another voice that was instantly familiar to the man teases back. “Hmm, there’s ways of doing that”.

The two figures step out into the circle of light surrounding the lamp post and Bruce feels his heart shoot up into his throat. They stop to look at him, smiling at him as they held onto one another. They were just as he remembered them, not a day older and still immaculately dressed. He was frozen to his spot at the post, refusing to believe what was before his very eyes.

“Hello son”.

“My baby boy. All grown up”.

His throat was dry, he couldn’t find the words to say, and he doubted that he ever would. What came out of his lips were the words he’d wanted to say for over two decades. “Mom...dad…”.

“Who else would it be son?”

He laughed, he couldn’t help it. It was just something about the blase way his father spoke and regarded everything. He shakes his head and smiles even wider. “I...I thought I’d lost you…”.

He makes to take a step forward, and as soon as his foot moves upwards and then downwards into the puddle before him, another noise rings out. It comes, as quick as a bolt of lightning and as harsh and evil sounding as the shattering of glass. 

A bullet pierces through the darkness, almost visible to Bruce’s eyes as it passes from behind him. It slams right into his father’s forehead, causing the large man to fall back slowly and almost cartoonishly. His body falls like a tree, and Bruce is left paralyzed in fear as he watches his father’s body fall into the murky water below.

“Thomas! Oh God Thomas!” his mother cries out, the tears destroying her makeup as she turns to her son. “Bruce! Bruce please help me…”. Before her words are out, another shot. Martha Wayne falls right next to her husband, and Bruce? He stands there, continuing to watch as their blood runs into the puddle. 

He falls to his knees once more, the exact same thing he did as a child. The cries come slowly at first, but they become louder and louder until they are sobs that rack the entirety of his body.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

**_The Batcave_ **

“Bruce, Bruce baby no...you’re okay. You’re okay puddin’. It’s just a nightmare. Whatever is going on in there, it’s just a nightmare”.

Harley was desperately trying to calm down the man who struggled in his sleep, his cries emanating out from whatever sick and twisted dreams he was having into the real world. The tears were streaming down her face at being unable to help soothe him. Her words didn’t seem to be reaching the man.

“Harleen...let me..”.

“No!” she snaps at her best friend. “I...I...I need to help him. Why can’t he hear me? Why can’t I help him?” Harleen sobs while laying her head on the man’s chest. Any anger that Ivy had felt at her friend from a moment before was gone, replaced with an untreatable heartbreak.

She places her hand on the blonde’s back, rubbing gently in circular motions. “The mushroom that poisoned him...it is a special strain” she explains quietly. “It’s really only found in Gotham, and even then we’ve only seen it grow a few times in abandoned subway tunnels. It’s called a nightshade truffle. It has severe hallucinogenic properties. But there is good news in that…”.

“What could possibly be good about that Pam?” Harleen asks, turning to face her friend. “You’re tellin’ me that he’s being faced with his worst nightmares in there, and there is not a single fucking thing we can do?!”

Pamela remains calm and composed, knowing that both of her friends needed her to be the level headed and calm one. Her mind goes back to that day in the asylum, when Harleen had comforted her in regards to being kicked out and her plants destroyed. ‘Time to return the favor’.

“It’s a good sign as it means that the poison wasn’t able to kill him” she explains. “The hallucinogenic effects only kick in as a byproduct of the host body’s immune system fighting it. That only happens if the body is able to respond to the mushroom at all. He’s going to survive Harleen”.

The blonde slowly calms and moves to the side, non verbally giving Pamela permission to move in and begin her treatment again. She places her hand on Bruce’s face and works on soothing him, which is slowly managed through the transferal of key nutrients into the man’s body.

“Ya better not get used to touchin’ him like that” Harleen teases, trying to keep her sanity at that moment. “Don’t worry. I’ve got my own powerful boy toy to play with” Ivy teases right back, recognizing what her friend was doing. 

As Ivy separates from Bruce, the man having calmed enough to return to his restless sleep once again she turns and is instantly caught in a hug by Harleen. “I’m so sorry for snappin’ at ya”.

The redhead hugs her back, rubbing along her shoulders as she squeezes her tight. “It’s okay sweetie. I understand. I’d be just as crazy if it was Harvey laying in that bed”.

“Just a love sick idiot ain’t I?”

“No. You’re just a woman who came very close to losing the man she loves” Ivy explains before sighing, taking a deep breath to brace herself for what she had to say next. “Who’s also pregnant with his baby”.

Harleen goes stock still in the woman’s arms but slowly, very slowly moves back to look at her friend. “How...how did you know?”

“Pheromones” Ivy explains with a shrug of her shoulders as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “I noticed the morning sickness a while back, though I’m surprised that nobody else did. Sooo...I kind of...sniffed you”.

“You what?” Harleen asked incredulously.

“I sniffed you okay! Jeez, I had to be sure and well...yeah. I can smell the fact that you got my little niece or nephew inside”.

Harleen sits down, trying to gauge and come to terms with the fact that someone now knew. Ivy joins her, but sits on the table instead. “Does Bruce know?”

“Ohh...no. I...I haven’t told him yet” Harleen explains, beginning to cry again. She looks up at her friend, a destroyed look on her face. “With everything going on and how busy I was….I forgot the pill a few times. I didn’t think too much of it and well, it was only once that we’d...done it in the unsafe zone”.

“Need I remind you that all it takes is one?” Ivy asks with an arched eyebrow.

Harleen rolls her eyes and laughs. “Yeah. Yeah. I know. Stupid me” she says. “I didn’t tell him though. Not yet. I couldn’t. I didn’t ever want him to think I was trying to trap him you know?”.

“So..you were going to get rid of the baby?” she asks, finding herself scandalized by the thought. Harleen obviously was too, and it showed in how her eyes widen in shock. “Never! No..I just...I didn’t know how to tell him. I was so afraid”.

“You shouldn’t be” Ivy says, softening once again. “Bruce deserves to know Harleen, and I can tell you this, I one hundred percent doubt that he would be upset at all. In fact, knowing him, he’d be downright ecstatic”.

Harleen looks down, smiling to herself as she shakes her head. “I..I guess I was being kind of silly huh?”

“More than kind of”.

“What are we talking about?”

The new voice was unexpected but not unwelcome, as Dinah Lance approaches the duo having just got out of bed. She had a mussed head of hair and wore only a pair of panties and a t shirt to cover her body. “Burr. It’s cold in here” she says. “Duh, it’s a cave. Also, maybe wear some pants” Ivy adds, having taken to the other blonde just as easily as she’d warmed up to Harley.

The feeling was mutual and Dinah turns to the green skinned woman with a smile on her face. “It wouldn’t be efficient to be honest”.

“With how often Vic gets me out of my pants it’s better to just not wear them”.

“Jeez, no wonder you’re pregnant already” Ivy teases, casting a sidelong glance at Harleen who blushes and turns away. “Yup. Irish curse I’m afraid” Dinah says while rubbing her own stomach. “You’re saying that Question’s got a wee little lad?” Ivy asks.

“Ohh no sweetie, you misunderstand the Irish curse” the curvy blonde chides. “In this case, Vic’s lad is anything but wee. No. For more info on the real Irish curse, see bunny rabbits”.

The three women descend into a chorus of laughter that sets them at ease, an ease they desperately needed at that moment. As it slowly calms down and the laughs turn into simple smiles, Dinah remembers why she had woken up. “Vic went upstairs. Probably talking to Alfred and Harvey. Nice guy. Got my vote by the way. Anyways, I hear you two birds over here talking. What’s going on? Everything okay?”

Harleen looks at Pamela, desperate to keep her secret for just a little while longer. When Dinah had revealed that she was pregnant last night, it had been unanimously agreed that she would stay in the cave until everything passed. 

With the mission of bringing Harleen’s mother back to Wayne Manor on the roster for the day, Harleen refused to be left out of it. If Ivy told them her secret, the same set of standards would be applied and she couldn’t let that happen just yet.

“Nothing just girl talk..” Ivy lies, hating that she was giving her friend so much leeway when it wasn’t only her life in danger anymore. “You sure? Seemed a little bit more intense”.

Pamela could tell she liked the flirty blonde already. ‘She cares...dammit. Harley...now you’re making me lie to people’.

“Ahh, Ms. Quinzel. Ms. Isley and Ms. Lance. Good morning” Alfred says, moving down the steps with practiced ease, Vic in tow. The man was putting on a brave face, the task of leadership having roughly fallen on the butler. Vic was much more of an asset than might have originally been thought though and much of the planning fell to him.

“Morning Al” the three women chirp in sync, looking at each other afterwards and smirking at the humor they found in what had happened.

“We need to move to get your mother Harleen” Vic intercepts, knowing that time was of the essence. “I’m ready to go now”.

“Are you sure you’re ready to let her in on all this? It’s going to be a big shock to her”.

Harleen looks around at the Batcave, knowing that her mother was indeed going to absolutely flip at the prospect that her future son in law was the Batman, and her daughter was his partner in crimefighting as well. She stands, brushing off the knees of her jeans more out of habit than necessity. “We don’t have a choice” she admits. “Besides...she’s got grandbabies upstairs she’s going to want to meet”.

“Ahh yes, a fine way to look at this situation” Alfred supplies, maintaining a positive facade despite the turmoil raging inside of him. “Now, it’s unlikely that the Talons would have made a move last night, as we would’ve heard about it” Vic says.

“Not to mention the utter shellacking team blonde gave them last night” Dinah adds, bumping her hip into Harley’s and giving the woman a high five. Question was momentarily distracted, his eyes moving up and down Dinah’s bare legs.

“Hey, hey...faceless!”

“Huh? Ohh right..right” he says, being pulled back into reality by Ivy’s yell. “It should be low profile. No capes. No costumes. Just three people, Alfred, Harley and I, going to pick up a family member”.

Alfred had moves over to the far side of the cave and the action was seen by all. He reaches into one of the weapons lockers, at the very bottom, and retracts a pistol. He pulls out the revolver and retracts the chamber to load in a few loose rounds he. He clicks it back into place, ensuring that the safety, rare for a revolver, was in place.

“Alfred...a gun?” Harleen asks, a little hurt. He turns to her with resolve in his eyes. “Yes Ms. Quinzel. A revolver. A Webley Mark VI as a matter of fact” he says, secreting it on his person. He walks back to the group, the same fire and resolve as before. “My grandfather carried that pistol through the trenches of the Somme, and my father carried it with him across the desert at El Alamein. I carried it...well..in a few places that are still classified by her majesty. Whenever my country was in danger, a Pennyworth carried this pistol into battle. Now that my family is in danger I refuse to go without it”.

“I know Alfred, I get all that but...a gun?” Ivy interjects.

“Well pardon me but I don’t exactly have the youth that allows me to use my skills in a nonviolent way and I do not have any special powers” he says harshly before realizing that his stress was causing him to snap. “I’m sorry. But…”.

“It’s understandable Alfred”.

The butler found an ally in the usually masked conspiracy theorist, as he had thus far. For that he was eternally grateful. “We need to go. Now. The Talons are going to be active tonight if they aren’t already. The sun is going to set and it’s going to set soon. Is everyone ready?”

They all look at each other and nod, Ivy making to move out too. “Woah, umm..Red we need you to stay here with Bruce” Harleen stops her. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not staying here. He’ll be fine. Harley you need me…”.

“Red...please. Just stay with Bruce. You and Dinah?” Harley pleads, her eyes open and filled with pain. “I’ll be fine. We’ll all be. Trust me alright? I just...I wont be able to focus if you’re not here”.

“Dammit Harleen...alright. Just...hurry up, get your mom and get back here. This is all so fucked up” Ivy protests.

“I know, but hey, at least you and Dinah get some more time to hang out!” Harleen says over her shoulder as Alfred begins to move up the stairs. Vic was a little slower, working on delivering one final fiery goodbye kiss to Dinah’s lips before following the butler.

“You get your paranoid ass back here in one piece!” Dinah calls after him, receiving a thumbs up in return. The trio move out of the cave, and Ivy and Dinah are left alone with Bruce. 

Ivy moves back towards the man, recovering him with the blanket that he’d inadvertently kicked off during his struggles in the night. “Just relax bud. Alright? You’re in good hands” Ivy says, affectionately wiping the brow of one of her best friends.

All is quiet for a moment, a fact that Dinah obviously couldn’t live with. “Soooooo….how’d your hunk take the news of all...this?”

“....Pretty well” Ivy lied, remembering how Harvey had freaked out last night after she went up and told him all that was going on. He’d just put the kids to sleep, something that was nerve wracking in and of itself as both of them fought tooth and nail to see Harleen or Bruce. 

“Ahh…this whole thing is fubar. Secret societies, poison mushrooms. Ugggh..and being pregnant on top of it? Jesus, Mary and Joseph what a year”.

“Yup...wait, did you call Harvey a hunk?”

“Yeah, why? He’s an attractive guy. Not as good as my Vic but sure, you’re a lucky girl”.

Pamela didn’t know why, but somehow that managed to score Dinah Lance even more points in her book. She was one of the first people outside of the the family that hadn’t even seemed to notice the burns on Harvey’s face.

‘Huh. Family’ she thinks, finding that the term applied to an ever growing group of people possibly. “Yeah, I am really lucky”.

**_Apartment of Elise Quinzel_ **

“Ahhh...what a day”.

Elise Quinzel was happy for the first time in a very long time, her meeting with her daughter having put her in quite the mood. Work down at the grocery store, with all the lifting and walking mixed in with the occasional ogling hadn’t even gotten her down. Instead, she’d come home with a smile and slipped in and out of the shower before fixing herself a cup of tea.

She was sitting in front of the tv, gently sipping from the still warm beverage. “Well, if nothing good is on, at least you can look out the window”. The streets were paved in a light sheen of snow, and the twinkling lights of the few people’s apartments who had decided to put up decorations wafted into her window.

‘Christmas is coming’ she thinks, excited about the few hundred dollars she’d managed to scrape together to get Jason and Barbara Christmas presents. ‘Grandbabies. I have grandbabies to shop for!’ she thinks excitedly, flipping through the channels. “Ahh.. Rudolph. Alright, well...sure. Better than doom and gloom news”.

She began to lose herself in the cartoon that she remembered first seeing as a child, though her mind was further out elsewhere. Life was looking up for her again. Sure, she didn’t have much herself, but she knew her daughter was going to be okay. 

It filled her with sadness to know that the little girl’s life had been hard, but in that struggle there grew a seed that would germinate into success and happiness. “My little girls and my little boy made it asshole” she says, speaking to her dead husband. Of course, Bethany had passed away years ago, but nobody was going to convince Elise Quinzel that wherever she was she had a pair of wings and a harp now.

And her son, though he never talked to her, was successful out and about on his own. She felt sadness about that too but...she couldn’t blame him. The harshness of his childhood was just as bad if not worse than Harley’s being a boy. His beatings were always more severe, and the workload even tougher. 

“Dammit...stop. You can’t change the past Elise” she says to herself, trying to work on focusing on the here and now. “You can make it better by looking forward. Ain’t that what Harleen told ya? And she’s a doctor. Listen to your daughter and maybe, just maybe, go out and make some friends so you can stop talking to yourself..” she teases with a light snicker. 

She feels a light rumble in her stomach and sighs. “Ahh...lets go see what we’ve got to eat. A nice can of soup sounds nice”.

She gets up and moves into her kitchen, passing by the rear window into her apartment. She didn’t see the dark figures coalescing on the edge of the roof, peering into her apartment as they ready themselves to strike. 

She wasn’t aware of much, and in the dim coming twilight she was focused only on happy thoughts, of Christmas trees and wrapping paper, smiles and mistletoe. She opens the top of the soup can and pours the contents into a bowl, placing it in the microwave and heating the contents up. She turns on the stove again as well, wanting to warm up the contents of her teapot in case she so desired another cup.

As she turns the knob of the stove, the clicking of the pilot light prevents here from hearing the click of the window latch being lifted, a small and flat piece of steel inserted into through the slight gap in the wood. The window is opened quickly enough and the first black clad Talon enters the apartment. 

Denise was ready and very willing to carry out her mission, and her eyes were intent upon the robe wrapped woman with her back to her, now busy scrubbing at a spot on the counter. She reaches back and gestures with her hand for the other three Talons to join her, each fanning out into the apartment behind her, their footfalls not even making as much sound as that of a cat’s.

They inspect each room quickly, no more than a glance through each door frame. 

“Rudolph with your nose so bright, wont you guide my sleigh tonight?” the tv begins to belt out as the animated characters begin their musical rendition of the Christmas classic. Elise begin to hum along, singing as well from time to time.

“Then how the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee yippee”.

Denise drew a knife, a long and vicious looking blade, and slowly begins to advance on the woman.

‘I will not fail again!’


	29. Chapter 29

**_East 28th and 4th_ **

“Can’t you drive this tin can any faster?”

Harleen was gripping the edge of her seat with ferocious strength, and her nerves were shattered and even if she tried to prevent herself from snapping she just couldn’t. Alfred was seated next to her in the backseat of the Mustang, himself disorientated by not being in the driver’s seat.

“Sorry” Vic says from the front.

“No, don’t be. I’m sorry. I’m being a grade A bitch”.

Alfred gently reaches over and takes her hand, allowing her to squeeze something that was warmer and more solid. She smiles up thankfully at the butler before looking back down and prepping herself for what was to come.

So many things were rushing through her head. First and foremost, as it usually was the past few weeks, the baby inside of her. She’d become curious after throwing up for an eighth time at Arkham and she’d quickly had Doyle leave his post, under severe duress, to get her a pregnancy test.

That had been the scariest and single most frightening experience of her life.

She’d seated herself on the toilet in Arkham and simply watched and waited for the lines to appear. They did soon enough, and when they did there was no question at all about her state.

She was going to be a mama herself.

She had instantly been filled with fear. Her job, both day and night, were in jeopardy now. And Bruce? ‘Ohh God what’s he going to say?’ She was filled with fear of him telling her he wasn’t ready, or any combination of things. She’d hated herself at that moment for being so reckless!

‘Couldn’t remember to take one lousy stinkin’ pill?’

Her next thoughts had been beautiful enough to shake her out of her stupor. She had a life inside of her. A little baby boy or girl who would be ready to come out and meet their mommy. To laugh and giggle, cry and wake her up at three o’clock in the morning. To throw up on her while she was feeding them. All the horror and utter joy of motherhood was waiting for her. 

‘Bruce’s baby is inside of you’.

She couldn’t help it as she reached down to rub her stomach then. She’d gone back to work, trying to hide her joy and fear from everyone around her. She’d wanted to wait to tell Bruce, knowing that she had to prepare what needed to be said to him. But...life didn’t always work out that way, and how here she was, heading off into yet another dangerous situation to rescue her mother.

“You aren’t”.

She smiled at Vic’s response, finding herself enjoying the man’s calming company. He was quieter and more reserved than Bruce, which was really saying something, but it was clear that he deeply cared about Dinah and by extension the rest of them.

‘Why else would he be out risking his neck for you and mama?’.

“We’re almost there, but...I’m not happy at how the sun is going down” he explains from the driver’s seat, looking out over the snowed in streets of Gotham. Harleen didn’t want to think about that, desperate that her streak of luck would continue and that she’d get there just in time to spirit her mother away to safety. 

“You sure it was a good idea to drive your car?” Harleen asks. “I mean, with what happened the other night and everything”.

“There was no report released to the general public about my car” he explains. “And the police patrols around her are notoriously lax”.

“Wait...no report issued on your car? Why?”   
  


“Not sure but...if you ask me? It seems that we perhaps might be getting more help from inside the GCPD than we might’ve initially thought”.

“Montoya” Harleen mutters to herself, happy once again that they had taken the leap and gotten close to the woman who now led Gotham’s police force. ‘I need to talk to her...and soon’.

The car turns onto another side street, still heading towards Elise’s apartment.

‘Yeah. We’ll get there in time’.

**_Wayne Manor Sitting Room_ **

“Is...is Bruce going to be okay uncle Harvey?”

He reaches down, running his fingers through the little girl’s hair. “Yes sweetie. He’ll be fine”. He hated that his voice lacked conviction, but honestly how could he believe that with all of his heart enough right now to convince the frightened little girl?

‘Batman...Batwoman...goddammit Bruce why couldn’t you just talk to someone about what happened instead of jumping off of buildings in the middle of the night?’.

Barbara turns back to her toys, playing sadly with the blocks in front of her. Jason was right next to her, not saying or doing anything as he appeared to be lost in thought. It killed him, these two usually very lively kids so sullen. “Can we see him?” Barbara asks once again.

“I...I don’t think so. Not right now. Harleen doesn’t think it’s a good idea right now. He’s fine but he’s hurting a lot and we don’t want you to get scared”.

“Ohh..”.

Barbara deflates once again and looks down, though it doesn’t take more than a second for the tears to start flowing. “Hey, hey” Harvey gets onto his knees and hugs her close, quickly joined by Jason who wraps his arms around her midsection, leaning his face against her back. “It’s gonna be okay angel. I promise. Bruce...well, he’s too stubborn to die and he’s not going to leave, not with you guys here waiting for him”.

“I...I...he...can’t...die...not...not again”.

The words hurt, and he knew exactly what she was talking about. ‘She can’t lose her father all over again’. Barbara didn’t call them mom and dad, not like Jason did, but that was most likely because she had a living memory of her parents while Jason’s were confined to a hazy ghostlike past. “Shhh sweetie...no. He’s not dying. He’s going to be fine. I promise you”.

Ivy had snuck into the room, watching the interaction between her boyfriend and the two children they both loved as much as their adoptive parents did. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from how he comforted the two, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. ‘Nope. Nope. You’re not catching the baby madness that seems to be going around. Nope. Nope’.

She tries to toss the thoughts out of her mind, while moving forward into the sitting room, finally gaining their attention. She sits on the floor, gesturing for Jason to come to her while Harvey continues to comfort Barbara. “He’s right you know” she says, hugging the boy close. “Bruce is doing a lot better. He’s going to slam right through this stupid mushroom thing I’m telling you”.

She was able to feign enthusiasm much better than Harvey, and she was glad for the smile on Jason’s face. “Where’s...where’s mom?”

“She had to go out real quick sweetie. She has to get someone who’s really, really excited to meet you believe it or not”.

“Who?” Barbara asks from Harvey’s arms, wiping her eyes dry.

“Your grandma. Didn’t know you had one of those did you?”

“A grandma?” Barbara was once again excited, focusing as usual on the possibility of winning over yet another heart to her side. Harvey looks at Pamela and nods. There was so much going on at that very moment, and they hadn’t had much of an opportunity to speak about it, but both had fallen into lock step so easily that they were sure it was because of the necessity of doing whatever had to be done for this family to keep it safe. 

They’d have a lot to talk about later, but for now, they wanted to focus on playing with the kids, keeping them secure in the knowledge that the adults had everything under control.

A comforting lie was sometimes very necessary after all.

**_Apartment of Elise Quinzel_ **

Denise moves up even closer, careful on the tile floor as many of them were cracked and she was wary of giving herself away by making any type of noise. She was surprised that this was the mother of Harleen Quinzel. Her files said that she was somewhere in her mid to late fifties but she didn’t look it at all.

‘Could mistake her for the bitch’s older sister’ she thinks, gripping the knife even tighter. Elise moves towards the microwave and opens it, wearing an oven mitt to retrieve the bowl of soup. “Ohh hot hot!” she says, making Denise conjure up an image of her cartoonishly juggling the bowl in her hands.

Denise sets it to one side and closes the microwave, opening up her robe covered back to what would be a clear and decisive strike from the blade in her hand. Elise however, catches a glimpse of the movement in the reflective window of the microwave and gasps as she sees the figure behind her, poised to strike. 

As Denise brings the knife down in an arc that slices through the air, Elise turns to the side and pirouettes out of the way with the practiced ease of a ballerina. Denise buries the blade in the counter, practically to the hilt while the older woman reaches out with one hand for her steaming bowl of soup, throwing it directly into the would be assassins face.

Denise howls in pain as the clam chowder clings to the fabric of her mask and begins to scald her skin. She lets go of the knife and falls to her knees, leaving a horrified Elise to look on at what she’d caused. “Ohh God I’m so sorry!” she says before stopping, realizing that she’d just apologized for defending herself against an intruder.    
  


She shakes her head and turns towards the door to see yet another one of the Talons advancing upon her. She grabs the handle of the frying pan which still laid on her stove top. She swings it out and brings it crashing in against the man’s skull, sending him careening back into the kitchen table in shock. She hears the sickening crack as the back of his skull hits directly against the corner, and she winces in pain once more. “WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?” she shouts while rushing into her hallway, being attacked from the side once more as a Talon tackles her to the ground.

She was a lot quicker than her age would suggest though, and as they tumble to the ground she manages to squirm out of his arms, leaving the Talon with only a grip on her ankle. She moves onto her elbows, continuing to move backwards while kicking in the man’s face. “Lemme go!”

Her assault was harsh enough as to finally give the man enough pain to reconsider his lopsided assault, and his grip on her ankle decreases. She rushes up to her feet, working on closing her robe which had opened in the struggle. ‘Life or death struggle or not, they ain’t getting a look at my goods!’.

She just manages to duck as some sort of projectile flashes by her head and buries itself in the wall at the end of her hallway. “Eeeep!”. The knife was the same one she’d seen the woman in the kitchen attempt to kebab her with, and she casts a quick glance back down the hall and sees the woman she’d burned with her chowder standing there. 

Denise stops to pull off her mask, not being able to see at that moment with how the fabric had been damaged. Her face had quite a few blisters on it now, and she was noticeably red. She glares directly at Elise. 

“You’re going to fucking die”.

Elise had become defiant now, not respecting the intrusion on her day whatsoever. Whatever this was about, she was beyond pissed. ‘They’re making me miss Rudolph. As for dying? No. I’ve got grandbabies to spoil’.

“I’d rather die fucking”.

With that on last line that she shakes her head at in a moment, ‘What? Die fucking? Really? Stupid line..’ she thinks before slamming the door closed on her bedroom door. She didn’t have a window in here, the room being placed with three other apartments around it directly. ‘Shit..shit...shit’.

Denise smirks as she moves slowly down the hall, the other Talon getting up off of the ground as he holds his face. “Ohhh fuck”.

“Shut up...you got off easy”.

“Yeah..Samantha isn’t going to like this” he says, feeling how the woman’s foot had easily broken his nose and knocked out a few feet. “Like Charles is going to enjoy me having bubble wrap face? Shut up and stop complaining. Let’s just kill this bitch” Denise says, still fuming as she moves ever onward towards the door. 

“What about David?”

“Dead”.

“Ohh…”

“We can mourn him later” Denise snaps. “First? We have to do what we came here for”.

“Right..still, poor Dave. And poor Jenna. They were just going to get a hatchling”.

Denise didn’t want to hear any of that now, as the sad news would inevitably throw her off of her game and distract her. Instead she looks dead ahead at the door that sealed Elise Quinzel off from them, but only for a moment.

“Mrs. Quinzel?” she calls out. “There’s no way out of this for you. You’ve been sentenced to death by the Court of Owls. There is no escape”.

“Never heard of your company” comes the muffled reply from behind the door. “Never bought nothin’ from them either. So you just go away now and you wont get hurt”.

Denise looks toward her fellow Talon in confusion, though the man just shrugs. “I guess she’s got spirit don’t she?”

Denise shakes her head and turns back to the door, seething at this point. “This isn’t a joke. It isn’t a game Quinzel” she says before banging on the door again. “Come out, and make it easy. I promise a painless death”.

“If you try and come through that door I promise you a very painful death”.

Denise loved when they put up a fight, she really did. “Ohh yes. We’re very frightened of you. No more kitchen appliances or canned goods to help you out of this one”.

She makes ready to throw her full weight against the wooden door, intent on finishing the job she was sent her to do.

**_Just Outside_ **

Harleen rushes from the car before it’s even parked, jumping up two stairs at a time as she passes the bum who was always parked on the front perch. “Harleen wait!”

Alfred and Vic were both rushing out of the car to follow her. “Dammit, dammit!”

Harleen is at the top of the stairwell before the two men even reach the first step, her mind set on reaching her mother. She knew something was wrong, learning to trust her gut on these issues since what had happened with Bruce.

She’s on her mother’s floor before long and she reaches for the door, knocking feverishly. “Mom! Mom! Open up!” she screams at the top of her lungs, fearful at losing the woman she’d practically just got back into her life. 

“Shit..” she hears from the other side, though it was a voice decidedly not belonging to her mother. Alfred and Vic are right beside her in a moment, noticing how she moves back like a bull ready to charge to break down the door. Alfred stops her, grabbing her shoulders to keep her from doing so. She looks up at him angrily, ready to scream about how they needed to act quickly. 

She doesn’t get the chance, and Vic brings his foot down on the wood, smashing it in. 

“I was going to say let Mr. Sage do this” Alfred explains while letting the now embarrassed blonde go, rushing in after the the conspiracy theorist. 

“We’ve got company” the same voice that cursed before says, coming face to face as he maintains his watch at the end of the hallway. Harleen glares at him, though Vic keeps her back behind him. He’s quickly joined by Alfred who pulls out his Webley, showing the Talon that he was armed. 

“We need to go” the male Talon says to his female compatriot, backing up slowly.

“Not until the bitch is dead” Denise screams. “Hold them off! We can’t go back to the Matriarch empty handed, and it’ll be even better if we can bring her both Quinzel’s fucking heads!”.

Without thinking Denise brings her foot up in a direct imitation of how Vic had just done it moments before, and brings her weight down on the even flimsier door. Harleen rushes forward, wanting to save her mother even if it meant she had to go through the well trained Talon to do it. 

The BANG that emanates out through the apartment shocks everyone into stillness, and they slowly turn to focus on the end of the hallway where the now headless body of the Talon assaulting Elise laid on the ground, her head turned into a fine blood red mist that stained the opposite wall.

Elise steps out of the room, still in her bathrobe but now holding a Winchester 1887. She pumps the gun, chambering another shell into the breech. She casts a dismissive look down at the corpse at her feet. “Should’ve left it at the clam chowder” Elise says, mentally congratulating herself for coming up with a much better line this time around. “She turns and looks down the hall at the other Talon who was no frozen in fear. 

“Nobody is gonna hurt my daughter. You wanna be smart and just leave it at two dead buddies today?”

The Talon seemed to instinctively know what to do that would be best for his survival and he turns to look at the window from which they’d entered. It was still open and the curtains were fluttering in the breeze. He casts one look back at the body on the floor of the hallway and rushes towards the open window before any of the group could stop him.    
  
Vic is the first to recover from his malaise, and he rushes to the window to try and get a bead on where the Talon might’ve gone. Harleen however, rushes towards her mother, who gently drops the shotgun at her feet before wrapping her arms around the woman. “Mama...I...I…”.

“It’s alright munchkin. It’s alright. Mama’s fine” she soothes before pulling back, looking over the younger blonde woman, intently searching her for any wounds. “Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?”

“No mama no. If you’re okay, everything is fine. But ma...where the hell did you get a shotgun?”

Elise blushes and hems and haws. “Welllll….not exactly legally I’d say but...well, it turns out I needed it! And I couldn’t pass up a genuine military antique like that beauty”.

“Mom…”.

“Don’t give me that crap. It worked out. Yay for the second amendment”.

“We should go” Vic says, returning to the group. “I don’t see him, and if you don’t see the Talons, you’re in the most trouble”.

“Honey, who’s this handsome fellow?”

“Ohh, this is my friend Vic...Vic Sage”.

“I umm...well, young guy here is handsome but..I was asking more for tall and dapper back there” she teases with a wave. “Umm...hello. Welcome to my home. Sorry for the mess and...well...rather violent introduction. I promise, I’m a nice person once you get to know me”.

Alfred appeared just as flummoxed and he coughs into his hand, replacing his pistol back into his coat pocket. Elise’s eyes light up, apparently forgetting the utter carnage and emergency that they found themselves in.

“Ohhh is that a Webley Mark VI?”

“Why...yes it is. Very fine eye Mrs. Quinzel” Alfred says as the woman, still dressed in her bath robe, comes up to him. “May I see it?”

“Ohh well...of course”.

He retracts the pistol and hands it over to the woman who eagerly takes it in her hands and inspects it. “Ohhh...very nice. This definitely saw combat! I can tell. See this little mark here?” she says, pointing to an eight etched into the barrel. “This is common to units who served in the 8th army in North Africa”.

“Yes well..it was my grandfather’s and then my father’s. It was on the Somme and then indeed in North Africa. And well...a few other places with me” he says, completely flummoxed by the woman. “That is a rather beautiful Winchester as well. American make I see”.

“I’m not the only one with a “fine eye”. I love your accent by the way” she says, smiling up at the man who returns her gaze. She hands him back his pistol and he returns it to his coat pocket once more, a dopey smile on both of their faces.

Alfred blushes and turns his head to the side, coughing. “Mrs. Quinzel. Part of your robe has..well..come undone”. 

The woman looks down and blushes as well, seeing one of her bra clad breasts exposed to the man. “Ohh..hehe..sorry about that. Again, wasn’t expecting company. And just call me Elise handsome”.

“Well..thank you Elise. I am Alfred Pennyworth. The Wayne family butler”.

Harley was exasperated with the situation. She had come racing over here in a helter skelter, devil may care fashion, only to watch her mother defend herself with ease before completely forgetting that she had just killed an assassin in order to go and flirt with Alfred of all people.

‘Why is my life so weird?’

“Alright, you too will have more than enough time to get to know each other later. Mama...go get dressed” Harleen orders imperiously. “And do it fast. I know this is the East End but a gunshot here is going to draw cops regardless of if it’s out of the ordinary or not”.

“Where are we going?” Elise asks as she moves towards her room, being a woman that knew exactly when to shut up and listen. She steps over the Talon’s body and moves into her room, quickly going through her drawers to find something suitable to wear. 

Harleen leans against the wall and sighs, crossing her arms under her chest and looking at Alfred with a smirk. 

“I shall...um...go see to the car. Unless Elise requires any luggage be carried for her?”

“No thanks Alfred” Elise says, now dressed in a pair of jeans and a blouse, already slipping into her winter coat. “I can carry my own luggage”. She holds a small suitcase she has in front of her, and Alfred looks positively aghast at the idea of allowing a guest to carry their own things. “I..I must insist I carry that for you Elise”.

“Well...if you insist handsome”.

“Alright alright, just...jeez, stop flirting. Mama...I have a lot to tell you and all of it is going to be shocking. I can’t tell you here. Just...let’s go..”

Harleen had begun to cry, though she hides it while moving towards the door. ‘Damn hormones...Bruce...I need you here’.

Elise notices and suddenly turns serious, following her daughter as quickly as possible down the stairs. She’s followed by Alfred and Vic finally who casts one last look around the apartment. “Back to Wayne Manor”.

**_????????????????_ **

“You’re going to die Bruce”.

He turns this way and that, trying to put a origin point on the voice. “Who are you?”

He was screaming now, all the pent up rage and anger of the past manifesting itself in his subconscious. “I think you already know who I am”. The voice did have a tinge of familiarity to it, but he couldn’t firmly place it. Not then and not now.

“Show yourself! Stop hiding in the darkness like a coward”.

“Why?” the voice asks sardonically. “Isn’t that what you do?”

“That’s not anything like what I do?”

“Isn’t it?”

The voice seems to move, making a wide arc around him. He couldn’t see anything, not in the darkness. ‘Why is everything so dark?’

“Because you make it so”.

Bruce was utterly shocked by that. “How can you know what I’m thinking?”

A dark ominous laughter chuckles out at him through the abyss. “For the world’s greatest detective you aren’t nearly as good at solving mysteries as you’d like to think. Let’s work it out then should we. My voice is familiar to you. You hear it every day, and I know what you’re thinking”.

Bruce feels the answer come to him quickly enough after that, and his face hardens into steel. “Ohh...you’ve figured it out. Maybe you’re not quite so bad then. Not hopeless at least”.

A hand reaches out and grabs him by the throat, lifting him off of the ground. The voice was different now, angrier, evil even. He struggles against the inhuman grip, though it doesn’t do him any good.

“You’re a fool Bruce. Always have been”.

A face slowly presses itself forward, one that he’d recognize even now, twisted and deformed as it was. 

It was his own.

Sharp teeth cascaded down from between its lips, and the nose was more hooked than his ever was. The eyes were a deep black, an almost impenetrable blackness. 

He looked like an owl.

“You can’t protect her. You don’t deserve her. You’re a waste of life Bruce...still just that scared little boy in the alley like you told her. How pathetic! You’ve killed her you know? Bringing her into this world. You destroy everything you love Bruce” the voice taunts.

“Its started with your parents, and now? Harley is going to be swallowed up too. Think on that buddy. Also, have a nice fall”.

Immediately following the creature’s cruel words, he’s thrown through the air, though he doesn’t hit the ground as he thought he would after a few seconds. Instead he just keeps falling, deeper and deeper into a black hole. Was it true? Was he unworthy? Was he a fool?   
  


These thoughts, they wrapped themselves around him like a shroud and refused to let him go, even as he fell into his own insanity. 

“Harley!” 

It was the only word he could scream out.

**_The Batcave_ **

Elise was looking around in a state of shock, unable to process what was in front of her. Gadgets and tools laying about, even the famed Batmobile which every Gothamite had seen on the news or if you were lucky, or unlucky enough, up close and personal. 

“Harleen….”.

“Yes mama?”.

“You...you’re...you’re…”

“Yes…”.

Everyone else was standing around awkwardly, though Pam was the first one to get a sense that they needed to be alone to discuss things. “Well, umm...Mrs. Quinzel” she begins. “Just Elise..” the woman responds, still slack jawed. 

“Well umm...Elise? I was going to go make some lunch maybe. Would you like anything to eat?”

“Anything is fine Pamela...thank you”.

The green skinned woman turns to Dinah and gestures with her eyes for the two of them to leave. “Hey Di, help me out with lunch will you?”.

“You know I can barely...ohhh...ohh yeah sure Red. Sure”.

The two women begin to move out of the cave though Pamela stops to turn to her friend’s mother. “You should be very proud of your daughter” she says, rubbing the older woman’s shoulder. “She’s saved so many lives, and not all of them just as Batwoman. Yell at her all you want, I’ve already tried, but...trust me, it’s best to kind of just accept it. She is never going to take that mask off”.

Elise seems to be ruminating on the green skinned woman’s words at the moment, but her thoughts were unknown to the outside world. 

Vic takes the hint from his surroundings as well, and simply gets up from his seat at the batcomputer, tipping his hat as he does. He moves instantly to Dinah’s side, offering her his arm as they begin to ascend the stairs. She glares at him momentarily before taking it, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I’m pregnant, not invalid”.

What was meant as a whisper is amplified by the natural formation of the cave, and everyone who hears it chuckles except for Harleen and Elise who were locked in a death glare with one another. 

Alfred was the only one left, aside from the fitfully sleeping Bruce, though he quickly musters up the resolve to leave as well. “Mrs. and Ms Quinzel..should either of you require anything.. Do not hesitate to call on me, especially if there should be any change in Master Bruce’s condition.

“I will Alfred. I promise”.

He nods gratefully to the younger woman before looking back at Elise. 

“Thank you handsome. We’ll talk more later”.

He blushes once more, apparently unbalanced by the woman’s flirtatiousness.

As soon as his steps recede into the darkness above, moving back into the manor, Harleen begins. “Mama..before you say anything…”.

“No, no you don’t get to smooth talk your way out of this Harley bear” Elise says, using one of her many nicknames for her daughter even while she was as angry as could be. She was pacing back and forth, trying to contain her rage. She looks up, pointing at Harley with her mouth open before closing it again. 

“You...you…”.

She couldn’t get the right words out, not at that moment.

Harleen was just as eager to defend herself.

“This was my choice mama!”

“You don’t get to make that choice!” Elise rages as she moves forward, taking her daughter’s shoulders in her hands. “You are the only thing that makes all of this make sense! Do you hear me? You and your brother and sister. Your sister is gone, God Bless her” Elise says while taking a moment to make the sign of the cross. “And your brother? Hell I don’t know what he’s doing. He hates me for failing you three and I don’t blame him. But you Harleen! You are the biggest success this family has ever known”.

Harley looks away and tries to fight the tears, hating that she was arguing with her mother. “You worked your fingers to the bone to get yourself through school. Fought your way up to being a doctor. I’m so damn proud of you...I can’t even explain it. And what the hell are you doing now? Fighting criminals, playing dress up! For what? What do you need to prove?”

“I’m not trying to prove anything Mama!”

“Then what is it then huh? Is it just because of Bruce? Just because he has a death wish?”

Harleen feels her eyes narrow at the woman, not enjoying how dismissive she was of Bruce’s motivations. She throws the woman’s hands off of her and turns around, not wanting to face her. “Don’t you dare talk about him that way”.

“Harleen he’s…”.

“A man who lost everything right in front of him!” Harleen seethes. “A man who has everything he could ever want, and yet he gives it all up every night just so he has a chance of preventing at least one person! ONE!” she shouts, placing a finger up in the air. “From ever feelin’ what he did that day in the alley. So don’t you dare talk about him like that”.

Elise casts a glance over at the sleeping Bruce, having had it explained to her that the men and woman who’d attacked her belonged to some secret group who was trying to kidnap Harleen’s lover. It was all so confusing to her, and she tried to stay aware of everything, but the only thought she could muster was of how Harleen was in danger every night.

“I’m sorry munchkin...that was wrong of me. I really am sorry about saying that. Bruce is a hero. So are you but Harleen...this needs to stop”.

“Why?”

“Because it’s…”

“Dangerous. I know. Mama, believe me you don’t need to tell me about how dangerous this is. Okay, I’m looking at how awful it could be right now” she gesticulates towards Bruce. “But someone, anyone, has to stand up for what’s right in this city. Someone has to give some sort of hope for anyone who wants it to follow in the dark. Batman and Batwoman...they’ve inspired this city. I know it. I see it. I feel it”.

“And what about you? What does this all mean for you?” Elise asks.

“It means taking my life back”.

“What the hell are you talking about Harleen?”

Harley looks away and sighs. “Ever since I was a little girl...I’ve been afraid. Afraid of dad…”. Elise looks away in shame. “No, no. Stop. Don’t blame yourself and instead just listen to me”. Harley moves forward and takes her mother’s hands in her own. “I was afraid of his fists, and then...I was afraid of what people would think of me. The deadbeat daughter of Nick Quinzel. Never amountin’ ta nothin’”.

“Harleen, you are something…”

Harley smiles at her mother. “I know mama. But...I could be more. Bruce...he gave me the chance to become that” she says, turning to look at the man who owned her heart. “He didn’t want me to you know? At first? He didn’t want anyone with him. He didn’t want to break out of the mold of darkness that he thought helped him. I’m a psychiatrist, I know he was hurting himself”.

“So he’s just one of your patients to you then?”

“No mama. He’s the ONE person, the one person in this city that needs me. Truly needs me” she explains, the woman confused at what she meant. “He wants to save the entire city. I do too. I know it’s impossible though. Bruce? He wont stop, even if it is impossible. He needs someone beside him, someone to care and caress him, soothe his spirit. He deserves it too. I desperately want...no...I need to be that person for him. It makes me feel like...like, well a hero”.

Elise just smiles and shakes her head, sighing deeply. “I ain’t talkin’ you out of this am I?”

“Not a chance”.

“Well...you do look good in the suit” Elise says cautiously. She looks deeply into her daughters eyes and nods to herself. “You really love him don’t you?”

“He’s my one mama”.

“Hmm...he make you happy?”

“The happiest”.

“He never puts his hands on you does he?” Elise asks with a warning glare.

Harleen just blushes and smirks. “Only a spank now and then, and it’s usually me asking him to do it”.

Elise lets out a faux “tsk” of disapproval but rubs the side of her daughter’s head. Slowly she leans in and kisses her forehead. “You went and did the impossible sweetie”.

Harleen hugs the woman back tightly. “What’s that?”

“You went and made me even prouder of ya”.

“That means the world to me mom”.

“I don’t care how old you get, or how many bad guys you throw...what are they called? Batarangs? Whatever they are I don’t care how many of them you throw, you’re always gonna be my little girl”.

“And you’ll always be my mom”.

“I love you sweetie. So much”. Elise separates and looks down at Bruce, frowning at the condition he was in. “Has he...been getting better?”

“Not by much” Harleen admits as she moves over towards the man. “He still has those awful nightmares and...I can’t help him. Ivy says it’s up to him to fight it. All we can do is talk to him and hope he hears us”.

“He can hear us?”

“Ivy thinks so. She says it affects his subconscious”. 

“Hmm…” Elise walks over to Bruce and places her hand on his forehead, checking his temperature. “Alright tall, dark and handsome. Listen up”.

Harleen was nervous about what she’d say, but decides to let her mother go, knowing that there was no way to wind her down when she got started. “You listen, and you listen good. You better get up out of this bed soon. Everyone needs you, and I want my daughter to have that happy day you owe her. Not gonna lie...it might be nice around Christmas to have a rich son in law as well”.

“Mama..” Harley chuckles, glad that she could count on her mother when she needed to cheer up. 

“You’ve got babies to spoil, and a lot of work to do. So you ain’t conking out. Now...I hope we don’t have to be a normal son in law and mother in law. Alright? I don’t need us fighting and disliking each other because, against my better judgement and even with the fact that you’ve got my daughter fighting criminals...I like you. I like you a lot and I think you’ve got the ability to treat my girl right”.

She leans in and kisses his forehead, gently running her fingers through his hair in a very motherly way. It was touching to Harley, how affected her mother was by Bruce’s condition. “So you get up and you do it soon so I can yell at ya and we can move on. Okay?”.

She turns back to Harley and smiles. “Now..before we leave the cave for a little while...is there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

Harley just smiles and shrugs, figuring that she’d go for broke.

“I’m pregnant”.

Elise’s smile fades away and she looks at her daughter with a long suffering and weary gaze. Soon she is smiling though, grinning almost ear to ear. “Now...that just takes the whole cake sweetie”.

She leans in and hugs her daughter again, crying into her shoulder. “One phone call, and one visit, and within a week I find out you’ve got two babies, one on the way, are in love with Gotham’s most eligible bachelor and you’re both the most famous vigilantes that this city has”.

“I know...ain’t it a life?” Harleen asks.

Elise backs up and looks at her sternly. “You ain’t putting yourself in any more danger. Do you hear me?”

“I know mama. Getting you was the last thing for a little while”.

“It better be. Now that you’ve got my grandbaby aboard it’s martial law time again”.

“Mama”.

“Don’t mama me...now...does Bruce know?”

Harleen shakes her head. “Not yet mama. Not yet. I want to tell him when he’s awake and can understand fully what I’m saying”.

“He’ll do right by you. He’s a good man”.

“The very best”.

Elise goes quiet again, wanting to ask another question desperately. Harleen just waits patiently, wanting her to suffer a bit of embarrassment a little as payback. “Is..is it okay if I meet the other little ones?”

“Hmm...I think they’d like that. Let me get Pam down here to watch Bruce for a little while, maybe commence another treatment”.

“So...she’s part plant right?”

“Yeah...basically. Her DNA is a lot different from ours”.

“Ahh..”

“Problem?”

“No, no. Just…” Elise begins to chuckle. “One of your best friends is part house plant” she says, laughing aloud. “Yeah, and the other can use her voice like a bullhorn, though she doesn’t like being called bullhorn”.

“Dinah?”

“Uhhmm. She’s got superpowers” Harleen teases her mother.

“...I wish I had superpowers” Elise says, suddenly feeling left out now that she knew everyone around her was either a vigilante or a metahuman. Harleen felt better, and she now knew that bringing her mother here had been the best decision of her life. She felt like she could breathe and smile again, something that had seemed foreign to her ever since Bruce was injured.

**_Upstairs_ **

“Mom” Jason shouted excitedly, rushing towards the woman at the same time as Barbara shouted “Harleen!”. Both wrapped their tiny arms around her legs, each asking questions at what felt like a thousand miles a minute. 

  
All of them were about Bruce. 

“Easy kiddos, easy. Bruce...Bruce is fine. He is. He just needs to recuperate” she says, seasoning the truth. “Can we see him?”

Jason was the one that hit her the most, as his seeming indifference to the couple who had effectively adopted him in Harleen’s case and literally and somewhat legally in Bruce’s case, grew into a love indistinguishable from that shared between a biological child and his or her parents. It was the same with Barbara, though she didn’t put the words mom and dad on it.

Harley understood and accepted it, but one day, she held out the hope that it would change. 

“I..I don’t know yet sweeties. Just, give it one more day or so okay?”

“Alright…”.

She runs her fingers through their hair before leaning in to kiss them each in quick succession. “Now...I want you to meet someone. Someone who really wants to meet you as well”. She gestures behind her to where Elise was standing, and smiles brightly.

“Come on Mama. Meet your grandkids”.

Elise stared at them with a bright smile on her face, taking in every part of them. She didn’t care that they didn’t come from Harleen’s own body. All she knew was they were right here in front of her, and that they were her grandson and granddaughter. 

  
Slowly she lowers herself onto her knees and reaches out to touch them. “Hello. You must be Jason..and you must be Barbara right?”

“Yes ma’am” Jason says respectfully. Elise just coos at him and runs her fingers over his ear. “Who are you?” Barbara asks cutely, turning the woman’s affections on herself inadvertently. “Well...I’m...I guess I’m your grandma...if you wanted me to be”.

“You're Harleen’s mommy?”

“Yes I’m Harleen’s mommy”.

Barbara throws herself into the woman, causing her to let out a noise of surprise as she falls back onto her butt. “Nana! I had a nana before but she didn’t like me. She said I was a motormouth and she got mad when mommy brought me to visit because I accidentally stepped on her cat. It wasn’t my fault though. The cat was walking right in front of me and I really, really, really needed to go to the bathroom. I almost peed my pants. It was bad. But I don’t do that anymore. I’m a big girl and I know…”.

Jason slowly moves himself into her lap as well, hugging her quietly while also letting it be known that he accepted her as his grandmother as easily as the red haired girl who just kept talking. Elise couldn’t keep up but she nodded along with the words, holding the two children close to her. Harleen just smiles and keeps on watching, happy that there was light even in the darkness.

‘Bruce..you listen to my mama and get up soon. You’re missing too much’.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why but I really struggled with this one. I hope it goes over well with you guys. All things considered I think it's very good. Introduced one more character to our plot to make it interesting. One of you, or maybe more I don't know, definitely knows why she's there. I hope people like how I've written this character. I really enjoy her as she's one of my favorites in the DC universe. Anyways, thank you so much for reading all of this and sticking through. We are in the home stretch....for part 1 of the Harley and Bruce saga. It is truly a Saga though, one to rival even the tales of my ancestors!

**_Gotham City Express Line_ **

The woman sat alone, ramrod straight, not moving a single muscle as she stared ahead. Many on the train were scared of her, though they couldn’t exactly place why. If it wasn’t for her unnatural posture she would look like any other unassuming though attractive Japanese woman. The only thing that really stood out about her was the piano case she held tightly to her chest.

That certainly did seem out of place.

Nobody riding any kind of public transportation near or in Gotham ever had something like that out in the open on the very good chance that its visibility would attract the wrong kind of attention. As usual, Gotham did not disappoint.

“Hey, what’s in the guitar case?”

“Gee, uhh I don’t know, probably a guitar dumbass”.

The woman doesn’t even acknowledge their existence, and instead she closes her eyes and bows her head, listening to the whispers that only she could hear as the two thugs begin to argue with her.

“Whatever fucknuts. Anyways, you. You don’t look like you’re from around here. And that guitar? How much it worth” the man teases, sitting down beside her and leering in closer, placing his hand on the canvas bag.

Without opening her eyes the woman responds, though her voice had a far off and distinctively eerie quality. “I can assure you, whatever the contents of this case, they are not worth your lives”.

The man was nonplussed, and he just puts his hands up in faux surrender as his friend laughs. “Ohhhh...that a threat or a proposition?”.

“Really dude? I mean..she’s hot and all, but she’s got this distinctly creepy vibe like the weird ghost girl from that fucking horror movie...what was it? The Grudge I think. Yeah, creepy fucking girl from the grudge”.

She continues to remain silent, preparing herself mentally should she be forced to act. The whispers in her mind grow louder, and she can hear them even over the intercom calling out that they were stopping in Gotham Central Station in five minutes.

_ “Test them. Test them. Taste of their worth. Feed me their injustice”. _

She opens her eyes and looks directly at the friend of the man who backs up, haunted by the dark brown iris that greet him. “Dude...let’s just...come on man. This..this ain’t right”. He couldn’t answer why, but something had come over him, a fear that seemed primordial in nature. Part of the brain that told you when you were in danger and made you wish to run away for the safety of a cave. 

“What? You pussying out? Come on, just one lonely woman with her guitar case. She’s willing to make a donation to Gotham’s needy ain’t she? Rich out of towner like you”. She could smell his acrid breath, stale and reeking of cigarette smoke.

“You should listen to your friend. His words, crude as they may be, hold wisdom within”.

“Ohh it gets me hot when you talk all mystical and shit. Tell you what, you give me something else…” he begins, moving in and placing his hand on her thigh, rubbing her flesh through the fabric of her khaki pants.

“And we won’t take this…”.

The guitar case opens, and is tossed into the air momentarily startling the man who watches its downward trajectory. Something falls out, a glint of it captured by the reflection of the ambient light on the steel. 

She jumps up as quickly as she had thrown the case, but the upward thrust of her body was even more violent. A katana is falling through the air, sharp and ready to pierce any item or piece of flesh it comes into contact. That didn’t matter to the woman, who with practiced ease simply reaches through the air and grasps the hilt of the blade. 

The man who had originally accosted her, was still seated, and did not have to react as she brings the sword down with all her might, only adding to the force of gravity upon her lithe and petite body.

It lands on the seat, and all in the car are silent for a moment as the woman stands, still within a position that would allow her to easily fight if the need be.

Experience told her that the fight was over.

The man feels a pain in his hand, though, upon closer reflection he realizes that it isn’t his hand. In fact, he couldn’t feel his appendage at all.

He looks down to see the neat cut between his wrist and hand, which now lays lifelessly, disattached on the seat. The pain hits him right then, almost as if seeing it had made it real. He falls away from the seat, gripping the still bleeding and very newly formed stump. “She...she cut off my hand!” he screams, holding it and trying to move towards his friend who only recoils in horror, joined by the few other passengers still in the car.

The woman stands up straight, and advances on the prone man who is unable to move due to his fear. He begins to cry, and a puddle forms on the floor between his legs. The sword comes closer, pointed directly at the man’s throat. “P..p..please...don’t...don’t…”.

She silences him by raising a finger on the hand not gripping her sword, and she closes her eyes to better hear the whispers that come to her.

_ “Unworthy. Cowardly. Fool. Unworthy. Do not taint us with his childish sins”. _

“You are unworthy”. 

She renders her judgement and reaches gingerly down for her seat where the guitar case had landed following its fall through the air. She places the sword back within its confines with a gentleness that seemed to betray the utter ferocity she’d shown in removing the thug’s hand from his arm mere moments before.

Just as she clicks the guitar case closed, the bell signalling that the train was about to stop at the station sounds, and she turns to the other man to relay her parting words. “You. Go and find your honor. It is most assuredly not to be had following a man such as this. He who pledges his sword to an evil man, pledges his sword to evil. He who pledges his sword to evil will never float upon easy waters”.

She turns abruptly and exits the carriage, walking out into the packed platform of early commuters or weekend visitors who were now returning to their homes in the countryside. The passengers outside make way for the woman who now walked with her head lowered and her eyes closed, having an innate sense of direction and her surroundings. They weren’t aware of the mayhem that had just occurred within the train car, but that doesn’t last long as a woman screams out at the sight of all the blood.

“Someone call an ambulance!”

“Police, police!”

The man she had spoke too, he remained where he was, unable to move. His friend was now unconscious, being tended too by some good samaritan who had been passing by, wrapping his hand and staunching the flow of blood.

He looked out the window of the train, trying to find the woman who had done this, but she was nowhere in sight. She had disappeared into the mass of people, though she might as well have been a ghost to begin with.

‘Find my honor’ he thinks, the woman’s words circling in his mind.

**_Wayne/Kyle Enterprises_ **

“Ms. Kyle, Ms. Kyle”.

“Yes Ms. Vale?”

“Is it true that you have moved most of the Wayne Enterprises accounting offices and oversight committees to Wayne Tower? If so..why?”

Selina arches a perfectly manicured eyebrow, wondering why the usually gossip column orientated woman was asking her such questions. “Because I need to streamline things here until Bruce Wayne is found and returned to the tower”.

She was close to simply ordering all the pesky reporters killed, not wanting to deal with them anymore. She found their questions grating and their incessant buzzing even more so. The cameras flash and even more questions are asked in respect to what she had just said.

“Ms. Kyle..Ms. Kyle..”

“WHAT?” she snaps, silencing everyone in her rage. “What would any of you need to know at this moment? What could possibly be so important as to take time out of my very busy schedule to answer questions you don’t even understand? How can you...you...PLEBIANS even dare, have the gall, to ask such things of your betters?”

She knew she’d gone too far, she knew it, but she was also too close to commencing the second phase of her newly planned operations to care. She holds a hand up and shakes her head. “I’m done answering your questions. This meeting is over”. 

Without another word she moves away from the podium and back towards the now heavily fortified entrance of Wayne Tower. The extra guards she’d hired were needed at this point in time, and soon they’d be doing even more in service to her.

“Senora Kyle” one of them steps up, a lieutenant in her own private army. “Yes Miguel, what is it?”

The man opens the door for her, allowing her entrance into her building. Her heels click along the tile floor giving everyone a degree of discomfort. There was something...harsh and unforgiving in her attitude as of late.

“I just wanted to inform you that your payment has made its way to Pena Dura. The remainder of your soldiers are disembarking in Gotham Harbor as we speak”.

“Good. Explain to me again why your boss was unable to lead them himself?”

Miguel just smiles, stepping into the elevator beside the woman who had managed to purchase his services. “He is...indisposed in other matters at the moment. A slight disagreement with a former associate. He is unable to assist at this time, but should you require more than just an army in the future…”.

“He will be available. Yes, yes I’m sure. Hopefully I shall not have need of you after this”.

The man bows in respect. “Of course. Si”.

The elevator stops on the desired floor, and the door opens though Selina doesn’t move. “This is your stop Miguel. Get your men ready to move on your assigned targets. I’m afraid that we have to move up the schedule”.

There was a questioning look in the man’s eyes that didn’t sit well with her, and she turns to ask him if it would create any problems. “If so...I’d like a full refund of course”.

“No, no Senora. It is perfectly fine. We are...how you say, flexible as well as professional”.

“Very good. Now...off you go”. 

  
She shoos the gruff man off of the elevator as if she was disciplining an errant child, though he good naturedly listens to her and follows her orders. The door closes and Selina is once again alone with her thoughts. ‘If I cannot have the army I so desire from the stocks available...I have no choice but to outsource’.

The elevator goes up another floor, and stops, and once again Selina doesn’t move from her position. A figure steps on, and stands next to her saying nothing. The new woman’s armor was slick and black, harkening back to the days of old, when knights thundered across the battlefield. This was much more sleek and light however, which would play inevitably into her strengths. 

“Ahh Veronica. It’s good to see you”.

“Hello Matriarch”.

Sweet and simple, just the way she liked it and preferred it now. “The old order of things has fallen away, and my Talons...have failed me”.

“Yes, I heard about Denise’s failure. I also heard about what happened after”. Veronica Vreeland was much changed from the scared little girl whom had been thrown in front of her parents’ bodies mere months before. 

Who had shed her first blood when she killed Leslie Thompkins.

“Yes. Regrettable. Most of the Talons not placed under your tutelage have fled into the wind”.

Veronica can’t help but chuckle. “Tends to happen when you rip out someone’s throat. People get jumpy”. Selina thinks back to when she’d received the report of what had happened at Elise Quinzel’s apartment and shudders at what she had done in response.

_ “YOU FAILED ME!! AGAIN!!”. _

_ She just kept bringing down the knife upon the pleading man’s body, straddling his waist while stabbing it into his ribcage. He was strong and would hold out for a while, but eventually he’d give.  _

_ “Matriarch...please I beg….”. _

_ She’d silenced his begging with one final slice across the throat. _

She shakes these thoughts away, trying to focus on the here and now. Most of the old Talons had indeed fled. Seeing Selina so violently turn on one of their own….her supposed family. They couldn’t take it. The knew the price of repeated failure in the old order of things, but they had assumed that such practices had passed.

They were wrong.

“Do I sense a questioning of my methods?”

There was a warning tone in her voice which was easily picked up by the woman beside her. Not that it mattered. Veronica had grown into the one woman that didn’t feel fear of anyone or anything within their ranks. Her training had been...extraordinarily cruel in comparison to the other Talons. 

Selina somewhat doubted there was any humanity left within the poor girl. ‘Good. That’ll suit our purposes’.

“Not at all Matriarch. Kind of pissed you didn’t do this sooner. This is the only way to win”.

“We are in agreement then”.

“As always Matriarch”.

They settle into an easy silence, the humming of the elevator the only noise that accompanies their ascent. “I’ve put the army we’ve acquired into action. They will be moving out within the hour”.

“Ohh?”

“You know of their targets”.

“GCPD, the mayor’s office and a few other places that are more important for your end of all of this yeah”.

“And your targets?”

“Arkham Asylum and Wayne Manor”.

“Very good. Are your men ready?”

Victoria was not the only one. There was an entire new breed of Talons, men and women who were dedicated to the cause of cruelty in their Matriarch’s name. ‘If Gotham will not accept an aristocracy...perhaps they will accept a barbarian horde’ had been Selina’s thinking on the matter of forming this new branch as a fall back plan.

“And eager”.

“And of your assigned job here?”   
  


“Already finished it this morning. They all came you know” Veronica teases, licking her lips. “Like little bugs to the zapper. You really should’ve picked tougher Elites”.

“I didn’t pick them” Selina says in an annoyed tone. “They were simply the holdovers from Leslie’s days. In fact, the situation we are now experiencing is advantageous in this regard. We have culled the herd”.

“Very good Matriarch. Anyways, your little...commencement speech is all ready and waiting for you in the board room”.

“Good. Now...get to work”. 

Veronica says nothing else and simple steps off onto the next floor. It didn’t matter which floor really. The woman could get anywhere from anywhere else. No. Her focus was not on how Veronica would leave the tower, it was on addressing the city.

The bell rings for the elevator once more, and she steps off, moving with purpose towards the board room of Wayne Enterprises. She’d been here nearly an hour before, though it was under much more...frenzied circumstances. She opens the door and steps into the room, her eyes instantly landing on the group of men situated at the far side of the room. Two were armed with ak47s while the other four were not.

“Gentleman. I assume you are the film crew?”

The men were pale as they stood behind the camera and other assorted technology that was necessary to make her little broadcast happen.

“Si, they are”.

“Thank you. Now, make sure to get my good side”.

She moves back in front of the camera to stand in front of the long table that held so many critical decisions in the history of Wayne Enterprises under its wood. 

“We’re live in 3….2…...1…” the main cameraman says, working through his fear as best as he could while having the muzzle of a rifle pointed at his back. Selina smiles and nods, leaning her palms back on the oak to begin. “Hello Gotham. I am Selina Kyle. Supposedly the niece of Simon Stagg and now the co-owner of Wayne Enterprises”.

Her faux smile falls, and she shakes her head in the negative. “None of that is true. Anything you know of me...is a lie”.

At that moment, a signal interceptor was hijacking every air wave, radio wave, or signal in Gotham city, and Selina’s visage was being broadcast onto the surface of every television screen. Even in downtown Gotham her face was plastered onto the huge screens usually reserved for advertising. It was if the entire city had stopped to hear her speak.

“I was kidnapped as a child. Turned into a killer and a monster. All of this was done to serve the needs of men and women who have ruled over you since the very beginning of this city’s existence. I was raised to do their bidding for peanuts, as were so many others. Poor children, taken off of the street and offered what every child should have”.

She takes a pause, wanting to collect herself for the next part of her speech.

“That is over. They are done feasting upon the corpse of Gotham. Now...you shall listen to me”. Slowly she reaches behind her and fetches one of masks of the Elites, the same one that Leslie had given to her upon her ascension. “I am the Matriarch. You rightful Queen. My demands are simple, and my means of achieving them great”.

“Throughout this city...I have placed bombs. Large ones stolen from some foreign government or other and sold to me by the same man who sold me an army. I have added to them. Should my demands not be met, I will detonate each of them in the four corners of Gotham. Not only will the respective blasts kill many, but the contagion I have added to them will turn this city in upon itself. A virulent form of rabies developed in the heart of your city by the deceased Simon Stagg”.

“My demands are simple. The military shall not interfere, and all citizens shall stay in their homes. Those that we are not at war with have nothing to fear”.

Her next demand was the hardest for her to get out, and she held nothing but fear that she was already too late. That by the end of this she would rule over a kingdom without a king. Her last chance at drawing Harleen away from Bruce had failed. ‘No. Steel yourself and act quickly. He can still be yours’.

“My final demand, and my most important, is the return of my beloved to me” she says. “Bruce Wayne has been promised to me since I was conscripted by the Court. I want nothing more than him. Bring him to me, and this madness, this bloodshed will end. He is in no danger from me. No. The wretches of this city pose more of a threat to him than I ever would. Bring him to me, and much of this madness ends”.

She gestures for the camera to pan out off of her, which the cameraman does with a slow hand.The room comes into focus, but what is instantly noticed by everyone was the bodies seated at the table, slumped over and bleeding out onto the surface. 

“I killed them. Each and every one of them. They were all leaders of the Court of Owls, what we call Elites. Look into the dead and lifeless eyes of your oppressors and weep for joy that your Queen has saved you”.

She smiles to herself and nods, feeling the pin pricks of destiny upon her at this very moment.

“My beloved...if you are hearing this. Come to me. Abandon the harlot at your side and come to me. There is still a chance for us. To rule as king and queen. Just come here to what’s rightfully yours. Walk up the stairs and take the elevator to this room. Just show yourself to me, and I will bow before you and hand over all the power that is mine to you...its rightful owner”.

She reaches out her hand, desperately hoping that he could somehow hear her and be swayed by her words, the promise of the sweet nothing whispered in his ear. “You and I are destined…”.

The camera cuts out at just that point, leaving Gotham unsure of what to do. That uncertainty doesn’t last long though, and many of them have an innate idea of what they should do next.

Gotham City descends into chaos.

**_The Batcave_ **

“My word…”

  
“Shit…”

They were all huddled around the computer, watching as the woman laid down her ultimatum. Alfred and Elise had been the ones to speak, while the rest had just watched in rapt silence. “What...what do we do?”

“Get the kids down into the cave. Harvey too. They’re going to come for us and this is the safest place they could be” Harleen says, quickly moving into a plan of action. Ivy just nods, rushing up the steps to pass on the news. “Question, try and make contact with Montoya from the batcomputer. Tell her….tell her…”.

Her words and her thoughts were failing her at that moment, and she felt like the world was closing in on them. “Tell her what?” Dinah asks, snapping impatiently. She had just as much a reason to be afraid as the rest, but she was not handling it as well as she would’ve initially hoped. 

“Dinah…”

Question is shrugged off as he tries to comfort his girlfriend who begins to walk towards the center of the cave, pacing violently now. “We need to do something. Anything!”

“We’re not giving up Bruce!” Harleen seethes right back.

“I’M NOT SAYING THAT!” Dinah defends herself. “But you’re not coming up with a plan!”

“You got one? Please share it? Dinah I get it. Okay. I’m just as scared as you but...Jesus I don’t know”.

Harleen throws her hands up and moves back to the gurney where Bruce was still laying. He hadn’t gotten better, and it had slowly worn away at the very last of Harleen’s nerves. She sits down in the chair, reaching out to take the man’s hand. Dinah’s anger deflates as well. “Harley...I’m...I’m sorry”.

The other blonde doesn’t respond, and instead moves her head to Bruce’s chest as she begins to cry, too tired to fight it anymore. Dinah is the next one to fall, hating how her friend was breaking and feeling that she had a part in it. “Harleen...dammit”. Vic goes to her, and this time she allows him to take her in his arms.    
  
Elise and Alfred both move up behind the sobbing woman, placing their hands on her shoulder as she begins to speak to Bruce once again. “Puddin...I need you” she whispers. “I need you so much. We need you. Please...if you can hear me...I can’t do this alone”.

She leans up and takes his hand in her own, massaging it slowly while bringing it to her still flat belly. “You’re gonna be a daddy puddin” she whispers, a tear stained smile on her face. “I shoulda told ya before but I was scared of what you’d say. That’s stupid of me. You deserve to know. I can’t do any of this without you. We’re a team remember? The dynamic duo”.

He doesn’t show any outward signs of having heard her, but his breath was still there, ragged and uneven, his struggle continuing even now. 

“Harleen…” Elise makes to intercept, herself not knowing what to do.

“I hope we have a little girl puddin’. I love watching you with Barbara but a little boy would be more than welcome too! He’d be handsome as you but he’d smile more. Like I want you too”.

She seems angry about his lack of response and she gently beats at his chest. “Don’t ignore me when I’m talking to you!”.

Her tears break once again, and so does everyone’s hearts in the cave as they watch the strong woman fall apart. 

Her words were being heard though, somewhere far off. 

**_????????????????????_ **

He was in a new place, though he couldn’t tell you if it was actually new or that his mind was constraining him to believe that it was new. The door...the door at the end of the hallway...that held promise.

Through his wanderings in whatever this place was Bruce hadn’t seen a door of any kind. He didn’t expect it to be any different, though he had to hope. 

Hope.

Hope was a rapidly failing commodity to him. All he saw in this world were his worst dreams, nightmares that held onto him and wouldn’t let go. Horrors on a scale he never would’ve imagined. He couldn’t keep going and he knew that he was rapidly losing his sanity. 

Still...there was a voice. It was familiar to him as always, but just out of range to hear it clearly. It enveloped him, and whenever he heard it he felt warmth. It always found him at his lowest ebbs and urged him ever onwards towards it. 

Now though...the door.

He steps forward, though he was nervous and it showed in how slowly he walked. Within seconds he’s right in front of it, and his hand shakily reaches out to grasp the knob. He turns it, and pushes the wooden door in, letting the creak settle across his mind like a thundercrack.

He steels himself, trying to summon up the bravery he needed to actually look into the room while taking the unprecedented step of actually stepping in.

His eyes move faster than his feet, and when they land on what’s inside, his heart stops. 

“Ohhh..such a cutie. A good little baby huh?” Harleen says, sitting in a chair and rocking a little bundle in her arms. “Harleen…”. His voice was breathless with love for the woman, and he quickly moves forward, his fear long forgotten. “Harleen”.

He kneels beside the chair, reaching out to touch her shoulder, needing to assure himself that she was real. His hand impacted against solid flesh, and the blonde smiles down at him. “Puddin...ththth is so adorable”

“What?” he asks, part of her sentence being muffled.

“Ohh..thehhghfhf has your eyes. And my nose. Ohh and your beautiful dark hair. Puddin...we make gorgeous babies”. The woman continues to rock back and forth in the chair, focused only on the bundle in her arms. Bruce was beyond confused, and he stands, moving to get a look at the baby in her arms.

Just before he could do anything, a piercing cry breaks out through the dark, and he could tell that it was coming from the baby. “Shh...shh little sweetie. Don’t you cry. Mama and daddy are here”.

Bruce felt something...something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

All around them, shapes and figures were coming out of the darkness, advancing on them. “Kill...kill...kill”. They advanced even closer, circling around them. “Hehhehehe...whatsa matter bats? Don’t want us to meet the new bat brat?”

Joker walks out of the shadows with a menacing looking knife clenched between his fingers. Others are there too, each taunting him in their own way. Firefly, Mandragora and even his parents killer. Their eyes were all focused solely on Harleen and the baby, though Harley didn’t notice them for an instant.

“Harley! Take the baby and run!”.

“Ohhhh...ahhh...yes, mommy loves you very much sweetiepie”.

The baby’s cries continue, and the villains get closer and closer to the mewling bundle. “HARLEY!”

The blonde continues to not hear him, and Bruce feels as if all the power had been taken from him. He watches as they move closer and closer, intent on murder. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.You make me haaaapppy when the sky is gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away”.

The baby’s cries seem to lessen as Harleen sings to them, though the shadows continue. Bruce makes to move towards Harley, wanting to shield her with his own body before he is caught by the neck and lifted once again.

It was him, once again, or rather the sick and twisted incarnation of him that his nightmares dredged up. “How pathetic. So frightened. So scared. She’s going to die you know? And it’ll be all your fault”.

The creature leans close to his face and smiles, revealing its wicked visage and mouth full of teeth. “I was wrong Bruce. You’re not a fool. Just a coward. A weakling. A failed example of a man”.

Bruce struggles in the creatures gasp, and slowly he closes his eyes, seeming to give into the hopelessness. The creature wearing his face smiles, secure in its victory. Bruce’s eyes shoot open again though, full of a seemingly righteous and holy fire.

He grasps the creatures wrist with one of his hands and snaps it, causing it to howl in pain and drop the man, who falls to his knees on the floor. “No” he seethes, his voice changing, much deeper and almost a roar of defiance. 

Shadows surround the man, but they weren’t like the other shadows in this place of omnipresent darkness. No. They caused fear...but for a completely different reason. 

As the Bruce-creature continues to wail in pain, Bruce’s very touch causing it to burn in such a way as to spread up its body. The other creatures stop and look on in horror as their ringleader bursts into bright blue flames.

“I am the night” Bruce says, moving to stand. His form was entirely changed. He was much larger now, on par with the creature who was now nothing but ash before him. He wore a cape, and it swirled about him in the oppressive blackness before settling on his chest and solidifying there.

He stands even more, and reaches out with a clawed hand, grasping the Joker by the throat and squeezing harshly, causing the clown to disappear into smoke and swirling dust. “I am justice” the new creature howls, moving up behind Harley to cast a protective barrier over her. She continues to coo down at her baby, only looking once to smile at Bruce. The baby giggles and she tickles its belly with her finger. “That’s right. Daddy loves you too”.

The others abandon all hope of reaching the woman and try to retreat back into the darkness where they thought they’d be safe. 

It doesn’t work, and a multitude of lights kick on at the same time illuminating their desire hiding place. The symbol of the Batman blazes high and bright in the sky, raining down on each of them and causing them to smoke and smolder before bursting into flame. 

“I AM BATMAN!”

**_Back in the Batcave_ **

He convulses and sits up straight in the gurney, shocking everyone around him in how violently his movement came. His eyes were wide open and alert, seeking out every possible threat. His senses were...different. Enhanced. Everything felt different as a matter of fact.

“My word...Master Bruce”.

“PUDDIN!”

Harley practically throws herself into the man’s lap and instantly presses her lips to his, kissing away any lingering memories of the the darkness that had consumed him. “Harleen..” he whispers back, barely able to get the words out as he kisses the woman back for all she’s worth. 

His arm wraps around her waist while the other settles on her cheek, the two not stopping until they absolutely needed to breath. Even then they remain close, foreheads locked together and breaths being exhalled hastily. Harley was still crying, and it doesn’t take much for Bruce to lean forward and try to kiss her tears away.

“I thought I’d lost you”.

“Never”.

“BRUCE!”

Barbara, who was just entering the cave alongside Jason, Harvey and Pamela, was the first of that group to begin to rush towards him, joining her adoptive mother on the gurney which now creaked with the weight atop it. 

Elise is trying to hold it together and she finds that she can’t hold in her happiness. She turns and throws herself into Alfred’s arms, causing the man to blush as he slowly moves his arms to wrap around the woman’s body. He turns back to Bruce, watching as he comforts the two woman and now one boy each vying for their much adored spot in his arms.

He looks up at the roof of the cave and closes his eyes, smiling to himself. He had prayed hard for the man’s recovery, and he had also made a personal plea to Martha and Thomas...if they were watching, to return their son to the family that needed him.

“I’ll never let you go anywhere without me again puddin’. You hear me?” Harley asks, grabbing both sides of the man’s face to look deeply into his eyes. “I wont go anywhere my family isn’t” he says, bringing Barbara into his free side while also hugging Jason close. It was a tight fit, but the family made it work.

The others watched, wanting to give them their moment, but each of them knew that they’d need to act now. 

Batman was back.

**_GCPD Defensive Line_ **

She jumped up to unload three rounds at the oncoming soldiers, but she only managed to hit one before having to duck back behind the parked police cruiser, narrowly avoiding the line of rounds that impact against the seel body.

“Shiiit...Bullock?”

“Yeah?”

The man was down from her a little bit, but he was there which was more than what could be said for about half of the cops in her department who had tucked tail and run as soon as Selina’s broadcast had finished.

“You got any rounds left?”

She herself only had about ten, having emptied two and a half clips into the oncoming swarm of attackers.

“Yeah, about a clip”.

“Not enough to share then?”

“Sorry commish. I sent Robinson back into the armory to break out the heavy weapons and get back here with some guys” he responds, taking a chance to get a bead on one of the particularly careless mercenaries who tried to advance across what was quickly becoming a no man’s land in the middle of a Gotham City intersection.

“Got the fucker”.

“Robinson? Yeah...yeah good call. He’s a good kid. If he survives he’ll make it back here”.

Other officers were on the roof, taking advantage of the high ground to try and put down more of the well trained men trying their damndest to get into GCPD. More bullets, this time from a higher caliber weapon, burst against the cruiser, though one of them manages to pierce through the body of the car and imbed itself in Renee’s shoulder.

“Mierda!” she shouts, grasping her wounded shoulder and trying to fight through the pain. “Commish!”. Harvey moves down, trying to keep his large frame low enough to where he wasn’t going to present too tempting of a target while moving towards Montoya. He gets there in one piece and moves her hand out of the way, quickly ripping part of his shirt to staunch the wound. 

“Thanks” she says. “Experience doing this?”

“Too much”.

The firing becomes less intense, and she hears it move off away from them. “Shit...I think we’ve been made”.

“What do you mean?”

“They didn’t advance and fuck our shit up for real before because they thought there was more of us. Now they realize its just you and me”.

“And?”

Harvey takes a peak out over the edge of the cruiser and watches as the remainder of the squads assaulting the precinct moves in on them, all told about thirteen men. 

“Mind if I put it bluntly?”

“Go ahead”.

“We’re fucked”.

“I figured” Montoya moans, looking at her nine milimeter and steeling herself to go down fighting. “I was wrong about you Harvey”.

“No you weren’t. I’m a fat sack a shit and a lousy cop”.

“Well...you are the first thing you said yeah. Sorry. Can’t lie”.

The man looks at her with a scowl. “But you ain’t a lousy cop. Otherwise? You wouldn’t be here. You would’ve fled and tried to hook up with Mandragora’s boys or some dumb shit”.

“Yeah well...you were a damn fine commish for how long it lasted”.

“Thanks. Glad to have had your support”.

Just as the two were getting ready to meet their maker, the troops get to the cruiser, ready to peak around and open fire on the two practically helpless officers. One even smiled as he drew a bead on them. 

Montoya closes her eyes, readying herself for the final stroke as she couldn’t even lift her arm to fire her pistol. Instead of the loud retort of a gunshot, she hears the soft grating of misplaced air. 

A figure from above lands on the hood of the car, rattling the entire frame and shaking the troops out of their focus. Before one can bring their rifle up on the interloper, his head is neatly detached from his body and lands with a sickening thud on the ground. 

“What the fuck?”

Those were the last words of the leader, who finds himself quickly impaled on a blade as he hoisted into the air with a strength one never would’ve have assumed to come from the woman of such a petite and diminutive frame. The others open fire, but the body of their comrade provides the woman a shield against them, and their rounds impact harmlessly into the already dead man.

She rushes at the remainder with a reckless abandon, silent and her mouth, for that was the only part of her face not covered in the half mask with the symbol of the rising sun on her forehead, set in grim determination as she kills yet another with the portion of her blade that was sticking out of the back of the shiskebabed man. 

She staps downward on yet another, bringing the blade through both bodies and momentarily pinning the two men, one dead and the other soon to be so, to the asphalt, retracting the blade and sending the viscera and gore clinging to it flying through the air. 

Harvey and Renee both peaked up over to watch the ensuing fight, too enraptured to do anything but watch. 

“Maldito calor…” 

Renee couldn’t take her eyes off of the woman, watching every single movement and not able to help herself as she admires the woman’s curvature through the skin tight black suit she wore.

“What kind of hong kong fooey shit is this?”

The woman didn’t hear either of their words, focused on the remaining men who each try and get the drop on her. One charges at her with a bayonet fixed, an antiquated but still effective tactic. 

IF properly carried out. 

She merely sidesteps the charge and grabs the rifle out of his hands before turning it on him and spraying the remnants of the rounds into the mass of remaining warriors. She drops a solid seven of them with the precision of her shots before tossing the now empty rifle at another man and giving her enough time to deliver a quick slice of her blade across his stomach. 

As the man falls to the ground, trying to hold his rapidly spilling guts in, she turns on the remaining two. 

The three have a stare down, each weighing the measure of one another.

One of the men drops his rifle and runs, causing the woman to glare at his back and then turn her attention to the other man who remains resolute. 

“Your friend lacks honor. You however, you know you are going to die, yet you did not run as he did. Why?”

The question hangs unanswered in the air, and the man drops his rifle and pulls out his knife in response. She could only smile in appreciation at coming to meet a true warrior on this battlefield. 

“What inspires such honor and loyalty in a man the world would consider a criminal?”

“Bane….me rescato. Le debo mi vida. Se lo dare si es necesario”.

This answer pleases the woman and she readies her blade. 

_ “Worthy! Worthy! Take his soul. Add it to me so I can purify his sins”. _

“Loyalty to your Shogun. Yes. I see. You will die in honor friend”.

Before either Montoya or Bullock could say anything the two charge at each other, wanting to skewer the other with their respective weapons. It appears for a moment that due to his height the man has a drop on her, and they connect in what promises to be a bloody and violent confrontation.

It stops though, right as he’s about to bring his knife down on where her shoulder and neck meet, and he pauses, a strange and startled look on his face. He looks down to see that the woman’s sword was nowhere near him, though...another weapon he hadn’t previously seen was wedged in his side.

She frowns and looks directly into his eyes, now moving to hold the man as he drops his knife and falls to the ground. She softens his fall, gently caressing his cheek as the light rapidly moves out of his eyes. “You fought well...and died even better. May your seishin walk free and find peace, and may your descendents hold dear your memory”.    
  
She retracts the wakizashi from his side and the man allows his last breath to slip from between his lips.

“She fucking made mincemeat of them”.

The interruption of the fat detective strikes the woman out of her stupor and she turns as she stands, inserting her katana and wakizashi back into their respective sheaths. She regards the man harshly. “Show respect, for he died a warriors death”.

“Ohh god..we got even more fucking weirdos...owww”.

The man’s words were cut off by Montoya elbowing him in the side, not wanting to risk offending the woman who had saved their lives. “Hey uhh..ignore him” she says, unable to stop herself from checking the samurai woman out. The black suit really did cling to her body, and Montoya, even while wounded, appreciated what she saw.

She tries to shake the thoughts away, chastising herself for turning into a horn dog while her city was falling apart. ‘Still….dios mio’.

She wore red boots and gloves, and had a sash tied about her midsection that was scarlet as well. On her shoulder was a square piece of wood measuring no more than a foot in length and about nine inches in width. A symbol of some kind was on it, but it was mostly bare aside from the middle. Her mask covered the upper portion of her face, and once again had the single red dot of the rising sun of Japan upon it, giving away her racial heritage if nothing else managed to do so.

“Umm...hello” Renee says, stepping out from behind the destroyed cop car alongside Harvey.

The woman turns and bows slightly, bending at the waist. 

“Ohh...well...I’d return the favor but...I’m a little shot at the moment”. Montoya laughs nervously to herself, trying to pull it together but not succeeding. 

The woman straightens back up and regards her through the slits in her mask. Otherwise, she remains silent.

“Anyways…” the commissioner says, wanting to move onwards. “Thanks for the assist. We...well, we were really in the middle of a shit show and you helped us out”.

“Doitashimashaite”

She looks at Harvey as if seeking out a translation, and the corpulent detective looks back at her as if she had three heads. “How the fuck should I know?”

“I am looking for the one they call Batman. Do you know where he is?”

“Ahh...well...no. Actually, he and Batwoman have been rather quiet, at least since Bruce Wayne was kidnapped” Montoya says before realizing she might be saying too much to someone she didn’t know. “Are you uhh...here to kill him or something?”

“Bango” the woman says while shaking her head to the negative. She begins to walk towards the two officers, her hips moving in such a way as to make it impossible for Renee to not watch. ‘She’s just so...silky smooth. Like water...no. No. City on fire. Focus’.

“I am here to join him” the woman says. “Word has spread near and far of an honorable shogun. A leader. One who stalks through the night, rendering justice to those who seek to commit harm. I wish to pledge my sword to him”.

“Ahh...well...like I said he and his girlfriend, I think? Are missing”.

“Hmm”. 

The woman surveys the battlefield and nods. “Bad omen for a noble warrior to be absent from such a place. Either I have heard wrong or he is otherwise impaired. Either way, I shall assist you until I can meet him, either to pledge my sword or run it through his heart for wasting my time”.

Bullock leans toward Montoya and pretends to whisper in her ear. “This one’s intense ain’t she?”

That earns him another elbow while the hispanic woman tries to smile and puts her hand out. “Commissioner Renee Montoya. Welcome to Gotham. Hell of a time to be here. What’s your name?”

The Japanese woman looks down at the hand as if it was a foreign glyph but eventually reaches out and takes it, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth that makes Renee want to swoon. “Katana”.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are approaching the end of this first segment of my three part DC universe revision. Man things really heated up in Gotham after all huh? Not simmered down yet. We still have the Matriarch, the bomb and ohh...did we forget that Joker had a nasty little plan for the asylum? Stay tuned kiddos! But again, so much thanks to you guys.

**_The Batcave_ **

He slips the gauntlets onto his wrist, testing out how they feel. Everything was different. He knew it wasn’t because anything had actually changed between him being poisoned and now, but how he perceived things had changed.

It was like things were slowed down while he was still going at normal speed. If he really focused every movement of every person within the cave would slow down, his mind able to anticipate what they would do next in a much more certain way than ever before. 

Whatever had happened to him, he knew that he was now stronger and faster. He wasn’t sure if he should be thankful or hateful that Selina Kyle had done what she had to him.

“She’s moved some of her forces downtown” Dinah calls, monitoring the movement of troops and vehicles into the downtown region. “Ohh God...they’re...they’re opening fire on civilians. It’s a massacre”.

Bruce feels the anger well up within him, but he’s able to repress it and keep it from exploding outwards. He had to maintain control. “How many are there?”

Canary turns and looks at the man who was now fully covered by his batsuit with the exception of his cowl. “I’m not sure. Your fancy computer isn’t telling me much”.

“Master Bruce how could Ms. Kyle have assembled a force this large in so short a time?”

“She couldn’t” Bruce says, moving towards the screen and looking at the various “hot points” that had popped up around Gotham City. These were based on reports, both media and civilian, of the violence that was rapidly consuming the city. 

He looks over the screen and notices certain discrepancies. 

“Much of the footage is looped. Here” he says, stopping his speech to showcase a soldier firing a machine gun while standing atop a car. “This was taken in downtown while this…” he says, moving to the opposite side of the interactive map of the city. “Was taken by the quayside”.

The footage plays and shows the same soldier, firing the same rifle in the same way, except this footage showed him standing atop a shipping crate firing down of GCPD officers.

“Crap...so she’s putting us on a goose chase, making sure we don’t know which way is up and which is down” Elise says while crossing her arms over her chest angrily. Alfred shared in her displeasure though he can respect the decision tactically.

“Yes. Keeping our forces divided is a rather intelligent course of action. The real matter at hand is how do we know which attacks are real and which ones are mere distractions”.

“Wait...that bit…” Elise begins before stopping, noticing that the kids were there and looking at her with wide open eyes. “Mean...woman, said that her little group controlled the whole city right?”

“Yeah, how does that help us?” Ivy interjects.

“Well, never been a fan of the lamestream media but honestly, think on it. If she controls everything then that has to include the media right? And it ain’t exactly like they could just film everything that’s going on without getting shot. But in every single piece of footage given to us by Gotham news?”

She moves to the screen and points at each spot where she felt her argument could be made. “The soldiers don’t even look at the cameras. If they were really there, filming, they’d be gettin’ gunned down. I know I would shoot ‘em on principle” the older woman says with a smirk.

“You’re gonna have to forgive my mama. She’s a bit...anti government”.

Harleen steps out from behind a grouping of rocks, dressed in her bat suit already and slipping on the gloves. “Harleen”.

Bruce makes a step towards her, his resolve already evident by his stand and how he moved. “No. I’m going out there with you”.

“No you’re not”.

  
His responses angers the woman and she stares him down, doing a relatively good job of replicating his bat glare. She slowly calms and decides to try a more genial approach, placing her hands on his chest. “I’m not letting you go out there alone. Whatever we do, we do as a team remember”.

“I’m not going alone”.

At that moment Vic, having fully slipped back into his uniform as the Question, moves up besides the man. “Question and I are going into the city. Our dual priorities are to find those bombs and shut them down”.

“Montoya has also put out a distress signal originating from GCPD. Our second priority is there” Question adds. This doesn’t placate the fuming blonde, and the next line of argumentation is close to falling from her lips.

“You have a more important job. Perhaps the most important job”. He reaches out and rubs her stomach through the suit, reminding her of what she had momentarily forgotten. “I...I almost thought you didn’t hear that”.

“I heard”.

She takes his hand and keeps it in place, wishing that this was a more private interaction but not minding that the rest of them were there too much. “Bruce...I need to help you. You need me, and I need you”.

“You’re right. But I wont be able to do what I need to if you’re right there” Bruce says, letting her know in his own gruff way that the conversation was over and he wouldn’t budge. “Alfred”.

“Yes Master Wayne?”

“You and Elise are going to keep….”.

“Umm...we’ve got a problem” Dinah interrupts, everyone’s eyes turning towards the frightened blonde. A klaxon begins to ring out over the cave, warning the people standing inside that something was wrong. “Those are the alarms for the manor sir…”.

Batman rushes towards the computer and moves Dinah out of the way by the chair, having to have eye to eye contact with the screen. The blonde huffs at the light manhandling but she acquiesced in the face of the emergency before them. “Computer. Threat analysis”.

Multiple windows pop up, all showcasing the various camera angles within the manor. His eyes go wide at seeing the shadowy figures creeping about, and he jumps into action before they inevitably find their way to what they were searching for. “Computer defense protocol Final Stand”.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, clanging could be heard all around the perimeter of the cave as blast shields composed of titanium rush up from the ground to seal off all possible entrances and exits. The walling in of the batcave was finished within seconds.

“Bruce...what’s going on?” Barbara asks, reminding the adults of how frightening everything must’ve seemed to the two young children. He turns and moves to his knees, a hand going to the young girl’s shoulders to try and comfort her. “Some bad men have broken into the Manor. But you’re safe. These walls are meant to withstand explosives. You’ll be fine I promise”.

Barbara nods, secure in the knowledge that Bruce wouldn’t lie to her. He places a hand on her cheek and gives her a quick and tight smile, wanting to keep his facade as Batman up as best as he could.

Abruptly he stands and turns to the Question. “We have a new priority. We need to clear the grounds of Wayne Manor”.

“Agreed”.

“Batman...we’re not letting you do this alone” Ivy protests, quickly joined by Harvey, Dinah and Elise who saddle up behind her. Alfred steps to the side and adds his own body to the group while Harleen looks at him triumphantly. “You aren’t alone Bruce. You have a family that loves you and wants to help. Let us do something. Anything”.

He looks at their combined might and feels a sort of stirring while glimpsing their determination and desire to protect Gotham. A voice coming from deep inside of whispers that they were right. He didn’t have to do this alone. Family and friends were not a weakness, an attachment to be shed. 

They were a strength.

He feels a tug on his cape and turns to see Barbara and Jason right there beside him, eyes wide and full of trust and love. “Can we help too?”

He reaches down to take the little girl’s hand and leads her over to the computer, picking her up by the waist and placing her on the desk. “Yes. You can”.

He turns and ushers Jason forward, doing the same to him as he places the little boy alongside Barbara. As soon as they were there watching him, he turns to the computer and begins to type. “Before my….injury”, he says, settling on a word to describe what had happened to him. “Lucius and I were working on an experimental vehicle that would assist us in getting to the source of the problem in a quicker fashion while also allowing us a greater degree of mobility”.

“And why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Harleen moves up besides him and places her hands on her waist, chastising him in an openly teasing way. 

“Because I thought it would be a nice little surprise”.

He enters into yet another window which leads to a camera that wasn’t anywhere near the Manor or the cave. In fact, it looked like it was in a garage somewhere. “Bruce...what is this?” Harleen asks somewhat in awe as her mind slowly pieces together what she’s seeing from the blueprints that were now up on the screen.

“Like I said. A present”. Bruce steps back and gestures for Harleen to take his place.

The woman looks at him but slowly moves forward to the computer and takes his spot. The screen was flashing before her with a sign that said “Voice Recognition Required”.

“Umm...Batwoman?”

“Welcome Batwoman”. 

Suddenly whatever the camera was attached to roars to life and lifts off of the ground before rocketing down what appeared to be a runway with an open bay door at the end. The plane, as that was clearly what it was to her, was no circling the air above Gotham. “Please take your seat, and disengage autopilot Batwoman” comes the automated voice of the computer. 

“Consider it an...early Christmas present”. 

The smug smirk on Bruce’s face said it all. He was more than happy to shock her with this utterly amazing addition to this arsenal. Harleen throws herself into the seat and looks down at the computer’s keyboard, watching as a small hatch opens and what appeared to be a gaming joystick extends. “The controls are all outlined on the screen. Alfred is also here to assist you”.

“As always Ms. Quinzel” the butler adds from the rear. 

Harleen reaches forward and clicks off the autopilot, gingerly taking the controls while looking out over Gotham City through the camera. Parts of it were aflame and the smoke rose like black tendrils into the sky. Even if Selina’s army was smaller than one might have thought, it was still doing major damage.

She gets the controls down for controlling flight, and takes a few swoops around where the vehicle had originated, which was apparently from the bowels of Wayne Tower.

“Batwing. Non-lethal countermeasures engaged. EMP shield engaged. Tear Gas ready for deployment”.

The schematics pull up on the screen and show the full breath of the Batwing to the now awed onlookers, forgetting for a moment the precarious position they were in to marvel at it’s sleek curvature and all the tech built into it.

“Harleen” Elise calls out. “What would I have to do to convince your rich, handsome and utterly intelligent boyfriend to get one of those for me for Christmas?”

“I want one too!” Dinah calls out, joined by Barbara and Jason who both begin to make airplane noises as they pretend to flap around from their position on the desk. Bruce fights the smile that comes to his lips, trying to stay cold despite the tomfoolery going on around him. 

“Sorry mama, Dinah and the rest of you” Harleen says, swooping down over the city in the large black plane. “Bruce and his toys are all mine”. The blonde turns suddenly serious and looks over her shoulders at the man. “What do you want me to do Batman?”

He places a hand on her shoulder and points back at the screen. “Montoya and the GCPD are still under assault. My guess would be that most of Selina’s forces, most likely the mercenaries, will be there. Her owls are probably reserved for more precise strikes on her targets throughout the city”.

“Including Wayne Manor” Harvey supplies.

Bruce turns and nods at his friend, having had much of a chance to speak to him since all of this began. Undoubtedly he would have some questions, and there would most likely be some form of reckoning between the two of them, but for now he appreciated that Harvey was cooperating.

“I need you to move on GCPD. Provide them support. Drop the tear gas canisters around the precinct at approximately one hundred feet in either direction. The gas will maintain its effectiveness for one hour, allowing the police time to regroup and providing them a safe zone for the time being”.

“What are you going to do?” Harleen asks.

“I am going to clear Wayne Manor with the Question and Pamela, if she so agrees to help”.

“I’m already on board” the green skinned woman supplies. “Just tell me what you want me to do?”

Bruce nods. “I want you to hang back behind the Question and I and ensure that none of them can escape once we incapacit…”.

“Gonna stop you right there. You want my help? Fine. I’ll supply it. I owe you. But I’m not sitting back as support. I’ve got powers. Powers that can really help out here. I’m going to use them and I’m going to get some hits in” she says fiercely. “Nobody threatens my family”.

Bruce was quiet but eventually he nods, finding himself unable to fight her sentiment when time was so short. ‘You and Vic will be out there to protect her as well’ he reminds himself. “Pamela…”.

“Harvey...I’m sorry but I can’t sit this one out. You know me. You’re not going to talk me out of this” she says to the one avenue of resistance she was experiencing from her boyfriend. Or so she thought. He takes her hand hand from her cheek and kisses it. “I know” he says, shocking her before he winks. “I just wanted to tell you to give ‘em hell”.

The woman blushes, embarrassed about having jumped the gun in regards to what her boyfriend was thinking. Harvey turns to the man that was the group’s defacto leader. “What do you want me, Elise and Alfred to do?”

“I need you to stay in the cave and ensure that nobody gets in. Even if it means...lethal force”. The way he said those dreaded words showed the group how much he loathed having them escape his lips, though everyone knew why they were being said.

The others didn’t have the same level of training that Bruce or Harley or the other two vigilantes and metahuman would have. They didn’t have the option of taking it easy when their lives were in danger, as they most certainly were at that very moment. Looking at Barbara and Jason was enough proof that the stakes were much to high to take such a risk.

“Alfred…” he says finally, looking towards the man who was his father in all but name. “Yes Master Bruce. I know”. 

He didn’t even need to say it.

His family was safe.

He takes one last look at the children and Harleen who was now eagerly focused on making it to the besieged officers of Gotham City. Jason and Barbara look up at him with a trust and belief he had never before received from any citizen of Gotham. 

“I love you”.

His words were spoken to the three of them, and they knew it. Again, that was enough. 

“You sure you don’t want us out there?” Elise asks. “This handsome man and I might look old but we can still kick some ass”.

“No. I need you here for that exact reason”.

Elise nods, feeling a little let down but knowing that it was the right call. “Is everyone ready?”

“Ready Batman” Pamela says.

Vic just nods. 

“Good. Let’s move”.

He quickly begins to run up the stairs with his hastily assembled group, intent on turning the tide. Tactically he knew what to do, and so did the rest. All that mattered was executing the plan now.

The three move up the stairs leading into the manor, stopping only for Bruce to input the password for the security panel, opening the blast shield for just enough time to allow them to exit. It closes behind them quickly enough, sealing the rest of the group inside. Harvey and Alfred both move to the foot of the steps, assuming a position of defense.

“Wouldn’t happen to have another one of those would you?” Harvey asks in regards to Alfred’s pistol. “I’m afraid not Mr. Dent”.

“That’s alright. I’d rather punch one of them in the face anyway”.

Elise doesn’t focus on the bickering and instead moves towards Harleen, placing her hand on her shoulder while leaning over the chair. “You’ve got one hell of a man you know?”

She could hear it in the other woman’s voice when she responds, though to her immense credit she focuses only on the screen, intent on helping the city she loved and hated in equal measure. “I know”.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

The front doors were blasted in violently, the old oak panels fanning out and skidding across the ancient wooden floors before either being stopped by a wall or just dying out of their own power.

A figure strolls in through the opening, a wicked smile curving her face while she reaches down to her belt. She picks up her mask and places it over her face once more. “Fan out! Find each and every one of those fucks! The Matriarch wants them dead”.

Veronica Vreeland was indeed a new type of Talon. Honed by months of harsh and brutal training, the likes of which hadn’t been seen before within the Court. She was not content to wait in the dark, waiting. No. Why wait when you could seize?

Others like her, killers and psychopaths, indeed follow her orders and begin to move out amongst the various wings of Wayne Manor, slashing the walls and paintings that lined them as they went. 

Veronica was much more lax in her desire to find them. She wanted to take it slow. Savor the experience. ‘Wayne’s been living in comfort this whole time while my parents whored me out. He’s lucky his got offed in that alley’.

“OHHH BRUCEY BOY!!!” she shouts out mockingly as she ascends the stairs to the second floor. Her fingers tease along the railings that line the stairs. “I know you’re up here” she continues, seeing the movements of her Talons from the corner of her eye.

“What kind of hero would you be if you were just hiding in that little cave of yours? Nah, nah. You’re up here. Probably watching me right now?” she continues. She turns and walks to the right, not seeing as the Talon who was to her immediate left, entering a room, is yanked to the side by a gloved fist, silenced by a quick knock to the temple before his body is pulled away and hidden. 

“But the real question is...you scared of me?”

She retracts her claws from the gloves upon her hands, swiping at a suit of armor and sending its pieces scattering across the floor. “Yeah, that’s it isn’t it? I really don’t see what the Matriarch sees in you to be honest”.

Across the manor another Talon is taken out of combat, a vine from a nearby houseplant growing to astronomical portions before wrapping around her throat, legs and arms before slowly pulling her into the gentle embrace of a venus fly trap. 

  
Ivy smiles from around the corner, winking at her plant. It wouldn’t kill the woman. Not if she wasn’t in there for over eight hours at least. But for now? Rosa would serve as not only a unique holding cell, but also to knock the woman out with liberal application of a natural secreting melatonin. 

“Good job Rosa” Ivy whispers while slowly hiding herself once more in one of the numerous dark nooks and crannies of Wayne Manor.

Veronica was unaware of her subordinates being slowly picked off, focused as she was in drawing the Batman out into a one on one fight. She needed to prove herself to the Matriarch. After so many had failed her she NEEDED to be the one who proved herself capable.

And taking down the Batman, delivering her beloved to her, was something that she knew would bring her straight to the top.

“I mean, she could have any guy she wants. Sure you’re handsome and rich and all that dumb bullshit. But trust me, you’ve got toooo many issues. I mean really? Dressing up like a bat? Who the hell...why? Just because your mommy and daddy got gunned down in that filthy alleyway?”

Her words were meant to hurt, sting one’s pride. She didn’t think of how far that might actually go when it came to the man.

“Get over it” she shouts, throwing a chair over the railing to send it clattering down on the floor below. “Lots of people been through shit. Me included….well, actually, maybe I’m not the best example” she giggles. “I mean, I’m dressing up like an owl to kill people. Not exactly sane either but you know what? I’ve embraced it. In a way you haven’t! Think on that. Saving this city? Puleassse. Waste of time”.

She stops for a moment, peering down the dark confines of one of the hallways to her side. Nothing about it pricks her senses, which were heavily enhanced by the serum still flowing through her veins. 

“Come onnnnnn!” she shouts out exasperatedly. 

“Don’t you want to fight me? Prove you’re a hero or some shit?” she asks before sighing and turning, arching her back while placing her hands on the railing of the second floor. “Just fucking make this easy you piece of shit. You’re no different than the rest you know? The ones that preyed on everyone. You just weren’t in the club. Only difference. I’m missing a lot of rioting for this shit so just come on out and lets get you back to the Matriarch. All that’s gonna happen is she’s gonna fuck you into her mattress and tell you how much she loves you anyway”.

The woman didn’t notice the figure that slowly moved behind her from the shadows, having been hiding there in wait for her the entire time. He had found that he could slow his own body down as well, remembering the tai chi training he’d received but never actually having been able to master.

That imbedded memory, mixed with his newfound abilities, allowed him to appear as nothing more than another shadow in a dark hallway. 

Only now does Veronica realize something is wrong, and she turns to see the dark figure racing towards her.

Her reflexes, as fast as they were, still weren’t quick enough, and the two tumble over the side of the balcony, following the same path as the discarded chair before them.

**_GCPD_ **

“This isn’t getting any better commish”.

“Yeah, yeah, save it Harvey alright? At least we’re inside”.

It was a cold comfort to the many who were now seeking shelter within the old brick building. Even with all the windows and doors barricaded, the troops outside were desperately fighting to get in. “Jesus Christ, how many of these people are there?”

“An army”.

Montoya turns and glares at the man before rolling her eyes. “Thanks for stating the obvious Harv. You’re a real help”.

“Anytime commi..LOOK OUT!”

The man jumps with a speed she didn’t realize he was capable of and brings his pistol down on the hand working its way through the wooden slots barring the window. The man had been trying to throw a live grenade into the room, though Harvey quickly snatched it and hucked it far out through the same hole it came through. 

A large explosion is heard and shakes the building, though no damage is done. 

For now.

Renee found that her heart was beating at such a rapid pace that she feared it would crash out of her chest like a freight train. “Thanks Bullock”.

“Anytime” the man says, sweating profusely and now shaking. 

They were out of ammo now, with even the reserves in the armory having been exhausted. After the failure of the first assault, the mercenaries had taken personal offense at their inability to overwhelm what they thought would be an easy target. The few officers that stayed shouldn’t have been able to hold them off.

But they had.

Though, it wasn’t without help. 

Renee looks over at the woman who had introduced herself as Katana. She was kneeling at that moment in front of one of the main desks, apparently lost in what the hispanic woman would have to guess as being prayer.

“Hey uhh...gorgeous? Don’t mind if you need to take a breather but we could use some help down here”.

The woman turns her head abruptly, almost snapping into place as if she had been shocked. Slowly she regains her composure and stands, drawing her katana that was her namesake. “There is no more help I can provide you trapped as we are here”.

“What are you talkin’ about? Do some more kung fu or some shit”.

Katana smiles, finding herself enjoying the fat detective who was much more honorable and kind than he let on. She knew so because of the whispering of her blade. She turns and looks at Renee, feeling something strange in her gut as her blade was silent, almost afraid to speak on the woman. She maintains eye contact, wanting to deliver her verdict upon their situation with as much honesty as she could.

“Our position is fated to failure. These barricades cannot hold forever. Soon, they shall break, and a wall of flesh, craving our blood shall descend upon us as a wave. All we can do is face our death without fear. I am only saddened I never met the Batman, though it is an honor to die beside those who seek justice”.

“Woah, woah, woah, cool it with the doom and gloom. We ain’t dying” Harvey says. “And if I am, I ain’t gonna go down without a fight. I’d rather die with my hands around the throat of one of these cocksuckers”.

Katana inclines her head, not quite understanding the man. “What is it you mean by “cocksuckers”? I have not heard this word or phrase before”.

“Don’t worry about it!” Montoya interrupts, blushing at hearing the word from the woman’s lips for some reason. ‘Despite being an utter fucking killing machine, she seems so innocent’.

The sound of rushing boots can be heard advancing down the stairs, and the three look to see one of the few officers who remained on their feet. “Kirk. What the hell are you doing off of the roof? Ain’t you supposed to be takin’ pot shots?”

“Sorry Detective. Out of ammo. But that’s not why I’m here. You gotta come see this shit!” the man says, a look of utter horror dominating the entirety of his expression. 

“Is it good news? Because if it isn’t…”.

“It ain’t good!” the man says gloomily. “We’re absolutely and utterly dead”.

  
He turns and instantly rushes back up the stairs, the attention of the three who were standing guard at the main door remaining on him. “I guess we better go check it out” Harvey says. “They’re gonna get through if we’re here or not, and all the wounded are up on the second floor. Maybe we can throw some shit down the stairs at ‘em”.

Katana was on the move already, rushing up after the rookie with a speed that only further spoke to her graceful ability of movement. “Yeah. Good idea. Maybe we can throw some donuts at them or some shit. If you didn’t eat ‘em all”.

Harvey stands first, offering her a hand up which she takes. “Sorry commish. All out”.

“It’s coming out of your pay Bullock”.

The two move up the stairs as quickly as they can, a fear of the motley barricade they’d constructed falling in on the precinct as soon as they turned their backs. However, it didn’t happen. Something was off, and the soldiers that had been outside were now moving away from the building, their attention on something else.

It takes a minute or two, her being stuck behind the huffing and sweating detective as he tries to make his way quickly up the stairs. “Can’t you move any faster lardass?”

“Sorry I ain’t no spring chicken”.

“No, you’re the whole damn turkey”.

They finally reach the door that leads to the roof and step out into the sunlight. Their eyes were first drawn to the pillars of smoke popping up all over the city, and Renee felt her heart drop at the massive scale of damage and probable loss of life.

Multiple other officers were on the roof, all looking out in shock at the forces arrayed against them. Foot soldiers and even apcs with mounted machine guns. 

“Shit...they’re bringing those into position. We’re so fucked”. 

Montoya didn’t see who said it, but she couldn’t find it in her to argue. ‘We’re a fucking police force. Not an army’.

Something was off though, a noise coming from a short distance away. “Christ, they got air support now” Harvey says, pointing his finger in the air at the large dark object moving their way. “Probably don’t wanna risk any more deaths” Renee says in a defeated tone. “So...they’re just going to bomb us”.

“A sound strategy”.

Katana had spoken, though her eyes were fixed on the plane in something akin to wonder. 

“Sorry you came all this way to die. Thanks for helping us out though” Montoya says. “Since we’re going to wind up cinders anyway, wanted to tell you that this isn’t a normal Gotham City welcome. Much rather would’ve taken you out for coffee and showed you a few sights instead”.

She didn’t know where this random bravery or thought was coming from, but she considered it the inevitable conclusion of her long dry spell and lack of affection. 

The Japanese woman doesn’t respond and simple keeps her eyes skyward. 

Montoya reaches into her jacket and retracts a cigarette lighting it up and taking a long drag on it. “It was an honor serving with you boys as your commish. Sorry I wasn’t as good as I should’ve been at it”.

The plane dips down, and all are sure that it was about to drop a massive amount of ordinance upon the top of the precinct, sending the building and its bricks tumbling down to the ground in a fiery blast. 

Instead, it shocks all of them, making a wide turn in order to wave its wings at them. “Eya commish? Something look oddly...I don’t know, familiar about that thing? I mean, even if we ain’t seen it before, it’s kind of shaped like a…”.

“A bat..” Renee supplies for the man.

The plane dips down upon the shocked troops, and its bomb bay opens. Instead of a bomb though, a thick cloud of gas descends down upon the soldiers who seem to recoil at its very touch. “What the fuck are they droppin on ‘em?”

The clowd swirls and stays around the men who try to clear their eyes while coughing. Their weapons drop, and they begin to move away from the battlefield. Even the apcs are abandoned as the gas creaks into them through the open hatches, the soldiers within falling out onto the concrete and crawling away, desperate to get away.

“WHOOO!” 

“HELL YEAH!”

“WAY TO GO BATMAN!”

The plane circles around the entirety of the precinct, creating an impassable barrier between them and the soldiers who most likely hadn’t thought to bring gas masks.

Renee was smiling ear to ear when suddenly her phone goes off. She quickly reaches into her pocket and retracts it, pushing it to her ear. “Hello?” she calls, already sure that it was someone she was very happy to hear from.

The officers silence themselves when she puts it on speaker, wanting them all to be in on it.

“Heya Montoya! Batwoman here. Sorry we’ve been uh...busy, also sorry for hacking your phone. Just wanted to show you the new toy I got. Pretty neat huh?”

She wants to cry at hearing the vigilantes voice, and for the first time one of the bats receives a loud and proud cheer from the GCPD who had until Montoya’s tenure as commissioner been intent on bringing them down.

“Thanks alot Batwoman. Really. We owe ya. Just want to ask two questions”.

“Shoot commish. But hurry. Got other stuff going on”.

“One, is Bruce Wayne with you? And two, is Batman available?”

“Bruce Wayne is safe. He was poisoned and we’ve been treating him in our super secret moon base” Harleen teases. “As for Batman, he’s out and about on the prowl. He’ll be with you shortly. He’s just gotta take care of something”.

“Do you have anyone working on the bombs? Any idea where they might be?” she asks frantically, knowing that she’d exceeded her question limit.

“We are. Trust us. We don’t know yet but we’ve got a guy on it”.

“Alright. Call us for any backup you need!”

“Will do commissioner. Batwoman out”.

The cheers and congratulations continue as she hangs up her phone, each officer who’d stayed for what would one day be called the battle for Fort Gotham as the precinct would begin to be known, just happy to be alive.    
  
Harvey just sat down on the ledge of the building and lit up a cigar, puffing eagerly on it while loosening his tie.

A shadow descends over her vision and she looks up to see Katana before her. She smiles, unable to help herself. “Hey, looks like we made it after all”.

The woman seemed to be unmoved and her face was still as stone. Renee was suddenly embarrassed, remembering how she’d flirted with the woman in two instances recently, spurred on by the threat of death that hung over them.

“That we did. I wish to enquire, did you ask me out on what you would call a date? As in an expressed romantic or physical interest being displayed towards me?”

“Well..I...uhh...kind of...well, I guess, more of a risk I had to take to...well...ask...it’s okay if you don’t want to…”. Renee found herself utterly tongue tied at that moment, unsure of what to say.

Katana seems to have a much firmer grasp however, and she simply moves forward and pulls Renee by the tie in order to bring them to face level. She thinks she’s going to get a kiss right on the lips, and part of her relishes the thought. Katana however, was much more reserved and delivers a gentle peck to her cheek before releasing the now furiously blushing woman.

Katana smiles, tight lipped and slight, but still she smiles. “The physical attraction is returned and I would be honored to accept your overtures for a shared meal”. She bows once more, and the catcalls and teasing ring out over the roof from her fellow officers who months ago would’ve ignored her but now had a camaraderie forged in war with her. 

“Hey, Montoya is gonna get some!”

Katana looks at Renee confusedly. “Some what? Is that a reference to what food we are to eat upon our date?”

“Umm...well...sure. Yeah. That’s what they mean”.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

Veronica fell, though she didn’t have any bearing on the sights around her as she fell. Black covered all of her vision as the Batman’s cape enveloped her. What she did know for certain was that serum or no serum, landing right on her back was going to hurt. 

Indeed, the pain came very quickly as she impacts against the wood, the end of the fall coinciding with her vision slowly returning to her as the cape and darkness is gone. She had to wait a full second though as stars now filled her eyes.

She rushes to her feet, disorientated but still in fighting shape.

She looks around, desperate for a glimpse at her opponent who had taken the opportunity to disappear once again. 

“Where are you motherfucker?” she screams out in rage. She was turning this way and that, knowing that he would appear seemingly out of nowhere. 

“You can’t tell?”

  
The voice echoes sinisterly out from somewhere in the room, though she still couldn’t get a fix on him. “Shame. I can tell. Everything. I can see how your heartbeat has increased due to the perspiration on your skin”.

While she couldn’t get a fix on the voice, she could tell it was moving, dipping in and out between the columns that lined the upper floor. “Show yourself!”

“Why? To fight you on equal terms?”

“Like a fucking man”.

Silence to that retort, making Veronica believe that she had scored some sort of victory through her taunts. “Did any of those men and women you slaughtered have an equal chance?”

“Like they deserved one”. She begins to calm and moves back towards the stairs before deciding to remain on the ground, effectively ceding the high ground advantage to Batman. ‘Second he comes down here I’ll see him and I’ll be able to take him’.

“They fed on this city for decades. Fed on ME. Do you realize how many times I was whored out for my mother and father’s interest? How many sleazy fucks took advantage of me? And for what? Someone’s control of the city? Things are different now”.

“No they’re not. They’re exactly the same”.

“Nah nah. They’re all dead. You see? That’s the difference. My mom and dad? Dead as door knobs”.

“With you to replace them”.

Veronica’s face falls at that, not enjoying the accusation implicit in the man’s tone. “I’m different”.

“How?”

She didn’t have a good answer. The Court hadn’t changed much of course. They still kidnapped children. They still controlled Gotham. In all reality, the only thing that had truly changed was their focus and their leadership.

She remains silent, turning the argument around on her and now feeling that she was very much losing the verbal sparring portion of this fight. The rage...it was building. 

“Come down here” she whispers, trying to contain it. She’d promised that no harm would come to Bruce. She’d told the Matriarch that. But the Matriarch was far away, and she was here now. “You were one of them you know? They wanted me to get closer to you. Win your love and affection. Become Mrs. Wayne”.

“That plan never got off the ground. Apparently you were the carrot for the Matriarch. They trained her to want you, thinking they could make a Talon without any attachments in the future by weaning her off of you. Didn’t work”.

Veronica sees a movement from the corner of her eye and turns to the left, smirking as she sees his cape turn the corner. “It’s funny. All these people are dead...because of you”. She begins to advance on where she thought the man was hiding. He was being oddly silent now, though she doesn’t notice, so intent in her murderous rage. 

“At the party? The office? You had multiple opportunities really. You couldn’t have just given her a good fuck? It’s not like you and Quinzel are gonna last. I know your type. She doesn’t have the right pedigree. The Matriarch does. She loves you so much I’m sure she might’ve let you keep a side piece as long as you did your husbandly duties in the bedroom every few days”.

She loved this. The cat and mouse game that she often got to play with her targets. 

It was fun. 

“Poor little Selina Kyle...maybe, she’ll never get what she wants!”

Veronica screams and turns the corner, ready to slice open the man she was sure was hiding there. When she turns and thrusts her hand out, she finds nothing but empty air. 

She’s momentarily confused, but it doesn’t last long. 

From above her Batman swings out, delivering a swift kick right to her chest that knocks the air right out of her. Before she has a chance to respond, the Batman is already rushing towards her. An uppercut into her stomach causes her to retch, the pain of her back feeding into her ever increasing disorientation.

A flurry of punches was delivered so quickly that she could barely see the movement of his hands. She weakly reaches out, desperate to land a blow. Her talons are easily snapped, and her arm fractured in one quick move. She falls to her knees, crying out in pain as the Batman twists her arm even harder.

“Please...stop...don’t kill me…”

“WHERE ARE THEY!”

His rough and gruff voice was there, fully intimidating the woman who underneath all the harsh and brutal regimentation and training was still a scared and shattered woman. Bruce felt pity well up for her within his heart, though it was hardened again instantly at the memory of how many had died thanks to her. 

He twists her arm further, letting the woman hear the sickening crack. “Where. Are. They?”

“WHO? WHERE ARE WHO?” Veronica cries out in pain, unable to think straight.

“THE BOMBS! WHERE ARE THE BOMBS! TALK AND I MIGHT LET YOU KEEP YOUR ARM!”

Something about his rage, his anger, it frightened her more than anything ever had before. Maybe it was because they’d threatened his family, invaded his home. She was there with the purpose of kidnapping him and killing Quinzel and the rest.

He twists harder, letting her know that he was serious. 

“I’ll on ask...one. More. Time. WHERE ARE THEY?!”

“There...there’s only one!” she cries out, hating that she was betraying the Matriarch. She’d been trained to inflict pain though. Regardless of what the serum had done to her, this was physical pain that was right before her. She couldn’t handle it. 

“WHERE?”   
  


“WAYNE TOWER!! I SWEAR!! I SWEAR!!”.

He punches her directly in the temple, hard. She falls unconscious to the floor sporting numerous bruises that show just how severe and awful was the beating she’d taken at the hands of the dark knight.

She falls to the floor, out of the fight for good.

He looks down on her, fighting that upwelling of pity that comes back to him while Ivy and Question come out of their hiding spots to join him.

“Think she was telling the truth?”

He turns to the faceless man and nods. “Most likely. Even the most well trained and conditioned don’t do well when you’re slowly snapping their arm apart”.

Ivy seemed discomforted, but she kept it to herself. 

“Bruce...these people...they know who you are”.

He closes his eyes and nods. “I know”.

“Well...I’m pretty sure I can do something about that” the green skinned woman says, while two large vines deposit the other talons in the room, having neutralized all of them. One was decidedly much worse off than the rest, being covered in goop. 

The vine suddenly wraps around all of them, winding tight to bind them up in the middle of the room while the two men look on.

“Huh. Reminds me of that movie Jumanji”.

Batman looks towards Vic but the other man just shrugs, apparently just having had it fly out of his mouth.

The vine’s retract, though one stays, allowing a few flowers to blossom on itself. “These are Nightshades”. Ivy walks up and plucks a few off before grinding them up between her palms. “Very poisonous unless I add the Venus fly trap extract”. She then moves to scoop some of the yellow goop off of the still knocked out Talon, adding it to her hand.

She continues to crunch it up until it’s all just a fine powdery substance

In the next moment she blows it into their faces, and they breathe it in, coughing and sputtering as it moves through their bodies. “What did you do?”

She turns to Bruce and smiles. “Ye of little faith. Nothing. They’re just not going to remember a damn thing about their lives. Even their names”. 

“A blessing and a curse” Vic says.

Batman nods before he brings up the comm link in his cowl. “Batwoman. The manor is clear”.

“So is GCPD Batman. This toy you got me...it’s the bee’s knees!”.

“State of the art. Get the batmobile prepped...please” he adds, feeling that it was necessary to say to the woman.

The vine wraps around the Talons again before lifting them in the air. They move them through the open front door, not wanting to cause any more damage while also allowing the police easy access for when they inevitably had to pick them up.

“Drop a line to Montoya as well. Tell them that Batman has broken up a ring of assassins at Wayne Manor. Be above ground when they come. Appear frantic. Tell her that Batman was here and act as if you have no idea where I am”.

“Got it puddin’. And where are you going?”

The nervousness was clear in her voice, and he hated that she still sounded that way. Still, this fight had to end, and he had to be the one to end it.

“Wayne Tower”.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Hey guys, just wanted to ask a question of you. Would you want me, at the end of this part of the story, to write a quick one shot showing what would have happened had Bruce been brought into the Court of Owls? A quick few thousand word story of through the years where Selina had him? Just let me know!)

**_The Batcave_ **

They descended the stairs back into the darkness, though they were awaited by a group of very happy people.  
  


“You guys kicked serious ass!”

Dinah of course was the most outwardly exuberant, followed by Elise. “Eh, we could’ve done better. Huh Al?”

“Well, I’m not quite sure about all that…”

“Don’t let her tease you too much Alfred” Harleen interjects. “Say something back to her and she’ll fold like a piece of paper. Trust me”.

The older blonde pouted, staying close to the man’s side. “Don’t be givin’ him tips on how to domesticate me munchkin. It ain’t fair” she says before turning and pressing her finger to the man’s chin. “It’s supposed to be the other way around”.

“What’s domesticate mean?”

Barbara and Jason were still glued to Harleen’s side, having been thoroughly enjoying watching her pilot the batwing, seeing it as an overgrown r.c car. “Well…..hmm...good question. I guess it more applies to animals sweetie. When you take a wild animal and make it so they’ll stay by you. Like wolves to dogs. Happens over a long time”.

Barbara’s eyes go wide. “Nana Elise is going to turn Alfred into a dog?”

“No sweetie...gosh, that’s impossible”.

Batman couldn’t help but smirk under his cowl at the image conjured up in his mind, though he was also thoroughly enjoying the embarrassment of his butler. He also noticed that his arm gently wound its way around Elise’s waist, keeping her as close to him as the flirtatious woman was trying to press into his chest. ‘I don’t even think he’s aware’.

Bruce looks at Barbara and places a hand on her head, ruffling her hair before patting Jason’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to them” he says. “In Gotham? Anything is possible”.

Alfred stiffened at that, not enjoying being the butt of the joke for so long. “Master Bruce, do not feed their minds with fairytales”.

He then turns to the children. “I am not being turned into a dog”.

The sentence only made everyone laugh harder as it seemed to be a somewhat childish gesture from the normally very mature man. Elise laughed very hard herself, irritating the man who slowly finds himself joining in.

The entire group needed it after all they’d been through and so far survived. They leaned on one another for comfort, something each desperately needed and wanted. Dinah was gently crying in Vic’s arms having been very afraid of everything that was happening. He just rocked her back and forth, caressing her back and whispering into her ear.

By Harvey and Pamela the scene was somewhat similar, though less intense. Harvey was looking Pam over, searching for any injury while the woman begged off, though not too harshly. She did enjoy his hands on her after all.

Bruce slowly looks at Harleen and then the children who he knew where his now. He had no doubts or reservations about calling them his son and daughter, even if he had to do it mentally. 

‘Ohh...I need to talk to Harleen’.

He moves to his knees and smiles at Barbara and Jason. “How about you two go and play in the Batmobile? Play pretend for a little while”.

“Can we?”  
  


Barbara could barely hide her excitement and she was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. “I said you could didn’t I?”

He reaches down to his utility belt, pressing inward on a panel and causing the canopy of the batmobile to open. Without a second thought Barbara was pulling Jason towards the dark car, all too happy to play in one of her favorite things in the cave.

“Come on Batman! We have a city to save!”

She tries to leap over the side and into the main compartment, but her size doesn’t quite allow her to make it. She keeps at it though, her little fingers wrapped around the edge as she tries to pull herself up. Jason quickly grabs the bottom of her feet and pushes her the rest of the way up, allowing her to tumble into the cab with an audible “ooof!”.

“I’m okay!”

She stands up on the seat and leans over the outside of the car, letting her hand down to Jason as she helps him by pulling him upwards.

“Bruce...are you sure that’s safe?” Harleen asks, ever the mother hen.

He just nods and smirks, gesturing to the device he’d clicked in on his belt. “Child lock”.

“Ahh...Bruce...you need to get to Wayne Tower. Take that bomb out and the Matriarch”.

“I know, but we need to talk for a minute”.

“Are you sure we have time?”

He nods.  
  
“We do. She won’t set it off. Not now. She wants a final showdown”.

“Alright, let’s talk but we have to be quick”. She found herself somewhat dreading this conversation, though she didn’t know why. Part of her was worried that he’d be mad at her for keeping the fact of her pregnancy a secret from him. 

The two move away from the main group which keeps talking to one another though it was clear that they noticed and had tacitly decided to let the two have their time to speak. They needed a breather anyway and...nobody was really sure if this would get worse.

Bruce reaches up and removes his cowl, wanting her to look at his face as they spoke. Harleen quickly follows suit, and they both deposit them on a nearby table.

“How long have you known?”

She winces at the words, though they were delivered softly in a more questioning that accusing tone. She still couldn’t help but feel guilty at them. “A little while”. She couldn’t bring herself to be specific at this point. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He reaches out and takes her cheek in his hand, rubbing over her lips with his thumb. She pushes herself into his chest, craving closeness as she realizes he wasn’t leaving her or furious with her as the worst case scenarios in her mind said.

“I was afraid Bruce. I made a mistake, and I forgot my pills. The way we were just constantly going at each other...I didn’t think it would be too big of a deal but then I found out and I just...I couldn’t tell you. I don’t know why but I was so afraid…”.

He leans in to silence her with a kiss, a fiery passionate one that tells her all she needed to know about why she shouldn’t have been afraid. When he releases her, he casts a firm look at her. “You wouldn’t have been scared if you’d told me as soon as you knew. We do things together Harleen. Remember?”

She shakes her head yes, the tears sliding out over her cheeks.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Bruce...now that you’re back? Everything is fine”.

He looks down once more, his focus on her still as of yet flat belly. She wasn’t showing any signs, but still he could feel something different. He reaches down and rubs her through the suit. “You’re carrying our baby”.

The way he said it was just so assured and calm that she never wanted them to leave this position. She wanted to just stand there for nine months with him looking at her and rubbing her stomach until the baby came.

But she was realistic, and she knew that their work in Gotham wasn’t done.

“Yup. Another little Wayne” she says, joining him in placing her hand over their love child. “Harley...we have so many other things we need to talk about”.

“But we can’t talk about them right now puddin’. We’ve got to focus on making sure that bitch doesn’t hurt anyone else and getting that bomb out of action”.

He nods and picks up his cowl, securing it back over his head. He was now fully back in Batman mode.

“Get dressed in normal civilian clothes. You and the rest aside from Dinah who should stay in the cave to monitor Question and I’s progress. When the police get here..”.

“Tell them that Batman came and beat up the bad guys. I know the drill baby”.

“Of course you do”. 

The two remain silent, so many words unspoken between them. Regardless, their bond was strengthened for having shared the few that they did. When the dust settled, they were sure so many things would change. But they were ready to face them together. 

As a team.

“Question. We need to move”.

“Better get the kiddos out of the Batmobile”.

“Aww..can we play more later?” Barbara asks, lifting her arms up for Bruce to lift her out of the car before being followed by Jason. 

“Yes. I promise. I’ll even play with you”.

Jason smiles, somewhat out of his nature, when the man helps him out of the car. “Even better”. 

Question jumps into the passenger seat, having already been briefed on his mission regarding the bomb. Due to a schematic map available of Wayne Tower, they had a pretty good idea of where it would be placed. He would focus on disarming the bomb, while Bruce? He would settle things with the Matriarch once and for all.

He turns to look at his family, especially his two children. “You behave for your mother”.

He didn’t know where that came from, but it felt good to say it. “Okay...dad” Jason says somewhat tepidly while Barbara just smiles and nods. “I promise Bruce. Just come back soon. Kick some butt!”.

He smiles as the canopy closes, and the Batmobile turns on the platform while he disengages the child lock and ignites the engine. They blast out of the cave and onto the road behind Wayne Manor. 

He clicks on his communicator and waits for her to answer.

“Let me guess? Is this another one of my Bat friends?”

“Montoya, it’s Batman. I’ve apprehended a group of Talons at Wayne Manor with the help of Pamela Isley. They’re waiting for you to pick them up”.

“Well..great. Great. Just when we were catching a breather from rounding all these mercs up. Sure. We’ll send a unit over there. Is Harvey Dent there?”

“Yes. Safe and sound”.

“Good. He’s a shoe in for the office now. Even more than before”.

“What do you mean?” Bruce asks, genuinely a little confused. 

“I mean Hill kicked the bucket, or rather someone made him kick it”.

“Hmmm”.

She could hear his lack of care through his reaction, though he tried to hide it. “Yeah, yeah. I know. He wont be missed but still..murder is murder, and I wanted to see Dent beat that asshole fair and square. Are you heading to Wayne Tower?”.

“Yes”.

“Alright. We’ll let you handle this. We don’t have too many units to spare. Sending someone to Wayne Manor is a hard call as it is but these Talon guys? We want them”.

“Understood. Over and out”.

He hands up on the comm, turning onto the major road that led into Gotham city major. “You sure you’re ready for this?”

Vic’s question was one that was looming within his own mind, but he shuffles all doubt to the side. The issue was much bigger than just him now. “Yes”.

“Alright. So am I. Let’s finish this”.

“Hmm”.

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

“We just want everyone to remain calm! That’s all we’re asking of you, alright?”

Dr. Joan Leland was desperate to keep order, though it was turning out to be harder than she’d initially thought. There were too many absences or on the spot quitters. Guards, seeing the city erupt into flame and hearing Selina Kyle’s announcement had rushed in droves to defend their families or save their own skins. 

  
It was hard to tell.

So far the asylum hadn’t been targeted and that was a fortunate thing. Things were mostly calm. Mostly. 

“So, how is everyone doing? Jerry? You okay bud?”

The man nods as he was seated at one of the tables in the rec room alongside many of the other patients. A skeleton crew of guards was set over them, though it was clear that this group posed the least amount of danger to the public.

“Yes doctor Leland. I’m fine. Is doctor Quinzel here?”

She frowns at the question, knowing that they looked up to the blonde doctor like a mother figure. She didn’t blame her for not being there, with what had happened to Bruce Wayne an all, but part of her wished she was.

“Ohh..no. Unfortunately not Jerry. But she’s safe! I promise!”.

She loathed lying to them, but it was a necessary evil. Jerry and the others hear these words and appear to become agitated though he quickly brings them back down. “Is...is she still sad about Bruce?”

“Yes Jerry. Things have been very hard for her”.

Joan was aware of why Harley was away, having been told by the woman in confidence of Bruce’s two adopted children. ‘She really is going to make a good mother’.

“I hope they get bet…”.

The doors to the ward open and a figure dressed in the uniform of a guard walks in, though he had a patient, undoubtedly from the pediatric ward. Blood was on the back of the child’s hospital gown. “Ohh god! What happened?”

She immediately rushes towards the man, not noticing that something seemed off. Doyle did though, and his hackles were raised by the fact that the man wouldn’t show his face. “Doc...be careful”.

His words fall on deaf ears as Doctor Leland’s devotion to her Hippocratic oath kicks in. She takes the child from the man’s shoulder and feels her heart fall at seeing who it was. “Ohh...Dick”.

“I found him in the hallway, covered in blood. Funniest thing, all the other cells were open. And everyone inside them was dead!”

The man begins to laugh hysterically before slowly straightening himself out and removing his hat, revealing the well combed head of green hair and horrifically twisted visage. “Hello boys and girls! Ready for a party?”

Joan gasps and tries to move away from the man, the remaining guards already on the move. “Joker’s out! Fucking shit!”.

They all rush forward, trying to draw their batons in order to bring the clown madman down. 

He was more ready for them than they thought though and he quickly draws the pistol he had on his belt, shooting Doyle in the leg and sending the wounded man to the ground. “FUCCK!” he begins to rock back and forth, holding his shattered kneecap. The other two are quickly shot in the head, leaving Leland alone to face the madman. 

She backs up, keeping Dick’s body to hers in an attempt to protect him. “Stay back...John...please stay ba…”

“Tsk tsk tsk. It’s not John Doe. It’s JOKER! And the whole city has to know my name. But don’t worry toots” he says, placing the pistol back in his holster. “I ain’t gonna hurt you”. Just then, two patients enter the room, each carrying baseball bats with a myriad of different sharp items poking out of the wood.  
  
“Let me guess. They are?” she spits vindictively, the other patients moving off behind her. 

“Nope” Joker teases with a laugh. “Not even close”.

She was confused for a moment, but then she hears the whispering voice against her ear. “This blood...isn’t mine”. Before she could react, Dick slams the makeshift blade into her shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain as she falls to the floor, dropping the boy while trying to staunch the blood.

Dick just laughs and slowly gets off of the floor, wiping the bloody knife on his jumpsuit. “And my papa was right. Everyone was already dead! HAHAHAHAH!”

“Dick...why?”

She couldn’t comprehend it. The evil in front of her. How could a little boy be so easily twisted up so quickly?

“What a slugger eh? They grow up sooooo fast nowadays. Especially in Gotham”. Joker runs his hands through the boy’s hair, all the while smirking at Joan. “So, Harley isn’t in huh? That’s a shame. I really wanted to impress her with all of this now that her boy toy is dead”.

“She hates your guts you piece of shit” Doyle seethes from the floor, unable to move. 

Joker frowns and walks towards him, delivering a quick kick to his gut. “Nobody likes a doubting Debbie! Besides” he says, fixing the tie that he had obviously taken, along with the rest of the uniform, off of a dead guard. “I can be quite charming when I want to be”.

“She’s not here Doe”. Doctor Leland refused to call him the Joker, and it only further infuriated the man. “Let us go. Whatever point you want to make you can do it with me”.

He pretends to look the woman over, appearing to think it over for a moment before shaking his head. “Nah. You see, I’m on a bride hunt. And you just don’t meet the correct qualifications. Too old. Nowhere near as much plumpage as my dear ole’ Harley” he says further, simulating womanly curves with his hands over his own body.

Dick just frowns and shakes his head. “She’s boring and stupid. She thinks she knows everything”.

“Aww come on now junior”. 

Joker walks over to the boy and gets on his knees as if to have a genuine heart to heart. “After she takes the acid bath like us, she’ll be a whole new woman. Trust me. Try and give your new mom a chance will you?”

“No” the boy says petulantly. “I want Batwoman. She’s cool. She’ll be a lot better. Trust me!”

Joker frowns and sighs, shrugging as he turns to look at the now much paler Joan. “Kids. Ain’t they tough? Well, it’s worth the price of havin’ them I guess. But...maybe, just maybe, you also have to humor them every once in a while”.

He turns back to Dick and smiles. “Alright my little budderooni. Tell me. IF, and I do mean IF, we get to snag Batwoman, how are we going to do it?”

Dick smiles wide, having already fantasized about a plan that would appeal to his mentor’s sick sense of humor. “Easy” he says. “We break Doctor Bozo”.

“I’m afraid I ain’t followin’ jr. Kids and their new lingo” he says, placing his hand over the side of his mouth to faux whisper to Leland. “It’s simple papa”.

“We lure them both here with the same thing! Whoever comes first is the one we choose. We take this doctor, the dummy guard and that annoying idiot” Dick says while pointing to Leland, Doyle and Jerry, “and we put on a show. If Harley the snoozer shows, she’s our third because I guess she’d be brave and whatever. Still wont like her” Dick says in a gloomy tone before brightening up.

“But if Batwoman shows! Well, then we’ll know that she’s the more fun one who wants to play with us. Plus we can take her from Batman which will be a lot of fun too!”

Joker appears to be mulling over the young boys words, muttering to himself here and there before nodding and snapping his fingers. “You know buddy...that’s an excellent idea”. He hugs the boy close who enthusiastically returns the gesture of affection. 

“Well, you heard my son boys. Let’s get the guests of honor tied up”. 

The two men who had eagerly embraced Joker’s clown motif and offered themselves to him as his thugs move forward and grasp Doyle, pulling him to his feet and dragging him away, allowing his screams of pain to echo out amongst the assembled patients. 

“Do anything heroic, Jerry is it?”

The man nods, his knees and legs shaking as he urinates, the dark stream covering his crotch area and moving down his legs. “Well pissy is your new name!” 

Dick laughs uproariously, apparently now loving jokes at other people’s expense more than anything else in the world. “Anyways, yeah, you’re starting to stink. Do anything heroic and Joan and Doyle go bye bye. Ya understand?”

Jerry nods once again, moving forward as he was prompted to. 

“Dick. Be a good boy and bring Mr. Jerry to the roof. I’ll bring the dear old doctor along and we’ll get our little display all set up”.

“Sure dad! Sounds like it’ll be a hoot”.

He takes the knife and presses it into Jerry’s side, all the while he takes his hand as if this was nothing more than a friendly meeting between two friends. “Come on Jerry. I sure hope we have some fun before you die! It’ll be so stinky if you die before we become friends”.

  
Joker and Joan are left alone, and looking into his eyes as he laughs with glee, Joan feels hatred fill her, genuine unfiltered hatred, for the first time in her life. 

“How about we leave your other charges with a babysitter hmm? I’ve got just the candidate. Ohh Victorrrr!” he calls out in a singsong voice.

‘Ohh god...no’.

Joan’s worst nightmares are realized as she sees Victor Szasz, shirtless and menacingly holding a knife. The cuts that crisscrossed his body spoke to a life of violence and murder. One cut for every single life he’d taken.  
  
“Watch the kiddos for us will you buddy? And only slice the prime ones up. Trust me. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Make it last”.

The other psychopath just smiles, though Joan doesn’t have much time to think on it as she’s brutally pulled to the floor. She resists, meekly, as she isn’t able to fight the blood loss that was beginning to affect her more and more.

“Please...stop…”.

“Stop? Ohh doctor, my poor sweet doctor”.

All she sees is his wide evil smile that promises nothing but pain and violence while she slowly slips into unconsciousness. “We’re just getting started toots!”

**_Atop Wayne Tower_ **

She knew that she’d failed. All her plans had. 

She watched them, one after the other, go up in smoke, literally in this last case. The entire city was burning. It had been part of her plan of course, but now, after hearing of the failure at Wayne Manor? She didn’t exactly feel that it had been worth it.

She stands at her desk and mixes another drink, sipping from the glass and trying to stay calm. She couldn’t and she drops the glass to the floor, allowing it to shatter.

“Everything is burning…”.

She didn’t care for the city. The city that had taken everything from her. Not anymore. Not after this last injury.

She had gone back and forth about what she had wanted to do, one day wanting to save the people from their oppressors and the next wanting to kill each and every one of them for abandoning her and all the rest on the streets.

She leans against the wall and picks up her Owl mask. 

Once, it was the symbol of everything she had hoped to gain. A future, love, a chance at happiness. It had all been stolen away from her at the very last moment. Be it a trick of fate or God or some other force that she couldn’t see or identify, she didn’t care. 

She just knew it was lost.

She turns and flings it against the far wall, a look of pure unadulterated rage on her face as she does. The porcelain makes contact and then shatters into a multitude of pieces. 

There it rests on the floor, only the eyes still intact though cracks emanated from them.

“I’m assuming something has gone wrong?”

The voice was an unwelcome intrusion upon her anguish, and she turns to see Miguel, the commander on the ground of the troops that were supposed to secure her the city. Instead? They’d laid dead or in jail cells, out of the fight for good.

“Miguel. Welcome. I see that your plan of airing false attacks didn’t work?”

The man was obviously disgruntled by her accusation, and the sickly sweet faux tone it was delivered in. 

“Si. They did not. Neither did your super warriors assault on Wayne Manor I hear”.

Selina was silent, and instead of speaking she opts to just glower at the man from behind her desk. “I’m assuming that you and your men are leaving Gotham now? What little you actually have left”.

“Ahh si, si. Despite being un male tactician you are actually quite an intelligent woman” the man says cruelly, intending to twist the knife into her pain of loss even deeper. He didn’t like the sting of defeat, and to him nobody but the woman standing before him had brought about such an end.

“Ahh..well, I suppose this is the end of our contract. I wanted to ask, do I owe any money for the men you lost?”

He was a little surprised at her asking such a question. Even if she did, why would she want to pay it in the face of such a momentous failure. ‘Perhaps she is just strict when it comes to the morals of business’. 

This was the only explanation he could come up with in that moment, and he finds that he respects the woman for it despite his justified, in his opinion, rage. “No Senora Kyle. You paid for the possible loss of all soldados during initial payment. It was the insurance clause”.

Selina quirks an eyebrow, finding that fact quite interesting.

“So..even if all of you died I wouldn’t actually owe any more money? Huh. Strange your boss would even have that in there”.

“He is very…”

The man isn’t able to finish his words as Selina raises the pistol she’d retracted from her desk and put a round right between the man’s eyes. He didn’t have any time to respond and instead simply falls to the ground, first via his knees and then face first from that position. His brains were painted across the doorway, and the back of his skull was one giant black hole.

Selina calmly deposits the pistol on the desk, not caring about guns as anything more than a means to an end. “Your tin soldiers were all utterly useless to me. It’s a waste of Bruce’s money” she begins, opening up a secret panel she’d had installed quickly upon her ascent to power in Wayne Enterprises. 

Inside is her entire Talon ensemble, a guise she hadn’t worn in so long that she doubted she’d feel at home in it.

“How am I supposed to pay him back? How?”

The corpse doesn’t respond to the woman, and instead of speaking continues to bleed out on the floor. She just shrugs and pulls the suit from the closet, stripping out of her blouse and skirt right there in order to slip into her old one piece.

“I suppose he’ll forgive me. There’s that old stereotype of wives not being good with money after all right? Overspending on a shopping trip” she chuckles to herself. “No different. Instead of clothes, I bought an army. It was all for him so...there’s that. Maybe he’ll understand”.

She sits down for a moment to slip into her boots, her mind still whirring and trying to process all that was happening. She knew that Bruce was on his way to the tower. There was nowhere else he could go after all this anyway. 

“Yeah, he’ll be mad” she comments to herself. “That’s okay. That’s okay. I’ll take my spanking like a good little girl. He’ll yell and be mad but then I’ll nuzzle him and put on a sexy nightie, pouting in bed that he’s ignoring me and it’ll be over. Yes. Yes”.

She places her head in her hands and begins to cry, her fantasy world collapsing around her for the moment as the vast immensity of the events she’d put into motion finally cave in on her.

“I’ve screwed it all up. All of it. I should’ve gone slower. Yeah. Slower. Been more patient. But after decades, DECADES!” she shouts. “How could I be expected to wait any longer?”

She stands abruptly and picks up her gloves, slipping her fingers into them. “It’s all Leslie’s fault. This..this wasn’t because of me”. 

She was acting as if she had to defend herself in front of a nonexistent jury. “If Leslie had just done what she was supposed to. If she’d just given me Bruce...it all would’ve been fine! Things would’ve gone on as they were supposed too. I would’ve been happy. He would’ve been happy!”.

She slams her fist down on the desk, looking at the mask she placed there prior.  
  
She begins to cry, shaking her head in complete demoralization. She stops suddenly, feeling that something had changed within the room.

Someone was there with her.

She didn’t even have to turn around to see who it was. 

She smiles.

“You came”.

He doesn’t say anything, though she didn’t expect him too. With this new circumstance she decides to forgo the mask. After all, she wasn’t going to be hiding anymore.

“I didn’t want it to be like this you know”. She turns to see him standing in the doorway, only a foot or so behind Miguel’s body. He was staring at her, not giving anything away other than that he was ready for a fight. That broke her heart. She didn’t want to hurt him. Not again. Ever since that night at the dockyards she had nightmares about the pain she caused him.

“It’s actually kind of funny. How it all turned out”.

“Nothing about this is funny…”

“No..no...you’re right. You’re right” she corrects herself, not wanting to anger him. Some part of her still believed she could win him over. She still hadn’t snuffed out that hope.

“This isn’t funny. People died. And it’s all because of Leslie Tompkins”.

“What does Leslie have to do with this?” he asks.

“Everything Bruce...everything”. She didn’t know how to explain it to him. How to condense everything that she knew into one convenient little truth. But she’d try. She’d try her hardest to make him understand. “She was the Matriarch before me. She took me in...made me this...this...thing”. She gestures at her suit, scowling as if it was the ugliest thing ever. “But that wasn’t all. She said that she’d take you too Bruce. That she’d give you to me and that we’d be best friends and...eventually more. She promised me that. That’s all I ever wanted”.

He remained silent, as unmoving as a stone. 

“I..I guess you wouldn’t understand” she says sadly, looking down at the floor. “Ever since I was a little girl, all I wanted was Bruce Wayne. The little boy with the sad eyes. I just wanted him down there, in the tunnels with me to play and train with. I would’ve been content you know? Isn’t that funny. It may not seem like it, but I’m a woman of simple tastes. One taste actually. The great tragedy is that so many people get big things right? And I only wanted a small thing. They got theirs...I didn’t get mine”.

She looks at him, her tears flowing even more freely than ever as she was now fully exposed before the man. Spirit and mind. “Don’t you think that’s unfair?”

Bruce didn’t know what to say, or do at that moment. The woman needed to be stopped at any cost. She had taken lives as easily as some people breathed. She’d brought his city to its knees and made it gasp for breath.

Still...he felt sorry for her.

“I know what you need to do. I get it. I understand, though I don’t like it. You’re going to take me down, put me in handcuffs and turn me over to the police aren’t you?”

“Yes”.

  
Her lips quiver and she smiles sadly. “So there is no chance whatsoever of me picking out a white dress and letting you see how beautiful I can be? No chance for me to change for you?”

“It’s too late”.

“I figured. That bitch. She got everything I wanted”. She looks down and then up, now rage and fire in her eyes that were reflective of the city behind her. “I wish it was her. That it was her that got dragged into the darkness. Her that got used and thrown away. Lied to. Beaten”.

He begins to walk towards her, readying himself for the final confrontation.

“Fine. Have it your way. Dying with you is just as romantic anyway”.

She rushes forward, her claws out and ready to carve up the man whose love for another had driven her insane.

Or was it her own love? An unquenchable mad love that consumed everything before it in its fiery grasp. 

Nobody could be sure, though these questions were all academic at that moment as two forces collide, one unstoppable and one immoveable.

**_Wayne Tower Storage Bay_ **

Vic was moving like a man possessed which in a way he was. The whole city was in danger as it is, and it would only get worse if he couldn’t find that bomb. 

“Dinah...do you read me?”

“Loud and clear babydoll. What’s going on?”

“I need to know where any shipments were stored since the merge of Stagg Industries and Wayne Enterprises. Especially if the order came down from Selina Kyle”.

He moves along the concrete corridors, trying to look for any signs of disturbance. The soldiers who abandoned their posts here were thorough. “Ummm...yeah wow, we gotta get one of these. But yeah, got what you’re looking for babe. She ordered something described as simply...x? I mean it’s a two ton package though so it can’t be too hard to find right?”

Question looks out amongst the maze of boxes, all of differing size but many certainty able to fit that description. “You might be wrong on that…”.

He begins to walk down row three, desperately searching for any signs that could help him. Time was of the essence. 

“Vic...I’m scared baby”.

He knew she was. He was too. More scared than he’d ever been in his entire life. ‘Probably because you have more to loose now than ever before’.

He had to calm her down, not only to keep her on mission but also because she was his woman and he loved her. “Have you thought of baby names?”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. Baby names. We haven’t really gotten to this discussion yet” he says, seeing something odd on the concrete floor.

“Ohh..umm..well, no. Have...have you?”

He moves forward, his eyes focused on the numerous cigarette butts littering the floor in front of one of the huge shipping crates that fit the description for a bomb. Someone had been standing guard in front of this specific crate.

“Yes I have. If we’re having a little girl? I want her named after her beautiful mother”.

He moves forward and quickly takes a crowbar, slamming it into the side of the wood. “Did you find something?” she asks eagerly, hearing the commotion over the radio.

“Yes but don’t worry about it right now. Baby names. Think of baby names”.

He manages to pry open the container, and clicks on the flashlight he has in his coat to scan inside. It was empty, except for a large black object sitting right in the middle of the crate. ‘Got it’. He felt his heart begin to race, knowing that this was the most important and thus most difficult part of his task.

“Well...I always hated my name sweetie. If we have a little girl I really don’t want her stuck with Dinah”. He loved how she was calming down. He could hear it in her voice. She always got like this when talking about the baby.

‘She’s going to be an excellent mother’.

“Alright, what name were you thinking then?”

He moves onto his knees, focusing on the device which he now saw was indeed a projectile rigged up within a straw packed case. The wires jutting out of it at all angles and the timer were also dead give aways. 

‘Shit fifteen minutes’.

“Well I want something that would fit a cute little Irish girl” she teases. “How about Katherine? Or well...you’ll think it’s stupid sounding”.

“No no, tell me. Tell me”.

He eagerly pulls out his pair of wire cutters, eagerly setting about detaching the black box to the side of the projectile, knowing that this was most likely the part of the bomb that made it “dirty”. He could only guess at what it was, Simon Stagg being a madman after all. 

Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“Well, my mother would read me poetry when I was a baby. And it was always some of that patriotic IRA stuff because of her dad. Anyway, there was this time when Irish poets couldn’t really say anything good about Ireland so they had to hide their words in cryptic phrases”.

“Go on. I’m aware of this though. Are you talking about the Roisin Dubh?”

“Yes! Ohh god I’m shocked you know that” she says, happy and distracted.  
  


“The Dark Rosaleen. The dark little rose. You really are a true Irishwoman” he says with a light smile under his mask.

“Well, takes one to know one...not a woman...ohh you know what I mean”.

“I do”.

He was desperately close to fully detaching the black box from the device. By his estimates, even if the bomb went off, without the virus part it would only affect roughly two city blocks that were already mostly abandoned.

Still, he didn’t want the bomb to go off.

“So how about this? Rosaleen Katherine Sage”.

“Vic...that’s...that’s an adorable name”.

“I’m glad you like it”.

He moves away towards the batmobile which he’d parked on the opposite side of the loading area. There was a secure compartment he could place it in where the batmobile would remotely destroy it without injuring anyone.

When he gets there, he resists the urge to chuck it in, but he breathes a sigh of relief when the canister closes around it. “Phew...no more dirty bomb”.

“Wait...you were doing stuff while we were talking about naming our possible daughter?”

“Yes...I didn’t want you to worry so...distraction” he says while moving back towards the bomb to do further work on it. 

“....I love you”.

“I love you too Dinah. Now, what about a boy?”

He looked back down at the bomb and saw that it was still ticking, still counting down. ‘Shit’.

“Charles”.

“Yuck. I hate my real name too Dinah. Why do you think I go by Vic?”

He was beginning to get worried as he didn’t see where the link between the bomb and the triggering mechanism was. ‘Dammit...dammit...ohh, ohh no’.

“Aww but Charlie would be such a cutie and you know it!”

He didn’t know if he actually agreed or if it was just the danger of the situation her was in at that moment that got him to agree, but he was sure that that was the moment he doomed his son, if he was having a son, to that awful name.

“It would be cute. One second Dinah”.

He quickly switches frequencies over to Batman’s comms. “Batman, we have a problem. The bomb is effectively devitalized and its no longer a dirty bomb. But it’s still a bomb. It’s set to go off in twelve minutes. I can’t do any further work on it” he says, feeling a sense of dread and defeat.

“It’s gonna blow”.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was the hardest chapter I've had to write and I'm sorry if it came out a little bad or if you guys don't like it. To be honest, been dealing with a lot of depression, and writing this story is what helps a lot. But I just couldn't shake it for this chapter. I powered through though because I don't wanna let you guys down. Thanks for reading and thank you for your kind reviews. 
> 
> Next goal is set at 200 kudos for this story. I'd be honored, in a very Tatsu way, if we could reach that milestone.

**_Just Outside Wayne Manor_ **

Alfred and Elise stood watch over the bound prisoners, though they weren’t certain if it was absolutely necessary to do so. After all, whatever Pamela had done had served them very well in keeping the Talons from getting back up.

“They were pretty sloppy huh?”

Elise held a bat that she gently patted over her one shoulders, almost wanting them to make a move that would necessitate her breaking it across one of their faces. ‘Threatening my grandbabies. Pff. Fuckers’.

“Quite”.

Alfred still held his pistol in his hand, ready to use it as much as the blonde beside him was with her bat. “Batman really did take quick care of them huh? You raised one hell of a man Alfred”.

“I can assure you, he did this all his own”.

Elise felt like that wasn’t exactly true, but she knew how the man was feeling. That sense of utter pride one had in the accomplishments of their children was undiminishable. “Yeah. My Harleen too”.

She knew that that was much closer to the truth and that hurt, even now. ‘Sorry little munchkin. Wish I could’ve helped you more’.

Alfred was unaware of the inner monologue the woman was having with herself at that moment. “You really should be quite proud of her. She’s a remarkable woman and I’m glad Master Bruce found her. I was afraid of him winding up alone, or perhaps even worse, marrying one of the society women who seem to hang onto him. But, like his father, he is searching for something perhaps a little different. More authentic”.

“I thought Martha was from a rich family too?”

“Ohh she was, but not the right kind from what I seem to recall. The Waynes are a very old family with roots that stretch very deeply into the soil and very heart of Gotham. Patrick Wayne, Thomas’ father, was a very austere man. I only knew him for perhaps a handful of years, and he kept himself purposefully aloof. But yes, very strict. He wanted his son to marry another one of Gotham’s upper crust. A girl from a wealthy Scottish family as well”.

“Let me guess, he didn’t exactly like that? Thomas I mean?”

Alfred couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. “Good heavens no, but he wasn’t against it per say. Saying no to Patrick Wayne simply wasn’t done. So, he went along with it, deciding upon what he thought would be a cold and loveless marriage spent away from one another and most likely in their lover’s beds”.

“But...something happened?”

“Ohh yes. Something quite extraordinary. You see, Thomas had just started his work at the now closed Our Lady of Gotham Hospital. Now it’s Gotham General. And he was going in to confer with a patient when he met someone…”. Alfred purposely stops the story here to gauge Elise’s facial reactions.

He could tell that she was hooked, and impatient to hear what the man had to say.

“What? What happened? Stop leaving me out to dry”.

“He met someone” Alfred continues on, deciding to stop torturing the woman for a moment. He looks down at the Talons again, ensuring that they weren’t moving or trying to escape their bondage.

“A young woman volunteering in the ward. From what he told me, he was smitten with Martha Kane. From then on, any talk that Patrick Wayne had of trying to make a match with one of his business partner’s daughters was rebuffed, and he would talk of nobody but Martha. That was a problem for Patrick as the Kane’s were new in Gotham and of somewhat less “reputable” stock in his eyes, though I cannot imagine what his standards were for such a decision. Personally”, the butler interjects within his own story to lean in towards the blonde. “I think it was because he wished to corner the chemical market in Gotham himself, and the arrival of the Kanes destroyed all hope of that”.

“Ohh wow. It’s like listening to one of those tv dramas about the rich and famous” Elise says.

“Yes, you get quite used to the preening and posturing of the easily insulted rich. But regardless, it’s a tale that led us here naturally”.

“To the city burning down and Bruce and Harleen being the only thing stopping it?”

“That too”.

The two grow quiet again though something slowly occurs to Elise. She smiles widely, shaking her head and saying “full circle”.

“Pardon?”

“It’s come full circle” she repeats. “Thomas was a doctor, well surgeon but I’m gonna say doctor to make this fit better, who met Martha, a philanthropist, in a hospital. Bruce is a philanthropist who met Harleen a doctor, in a hospital”.

Alfred didn’t immediately catch on to what the woman was saying, though soon enough it occurs to him. “My word…”. A smile spread across his face as easily as it did Elise’s. 

“What’s up?”

Harleen had just come out of the manor, now dressed in a flowing red floral dress and holding Barbara and Jason’s hand in each of her own. She was flanked on either side by Ivy and Harvey, Dinah staying back in the cave to direct and assist Question and Batman.

“Nothing. The handsome butler and I were just doing old people stuff. Reminiscing and what not”.

“Ahh okay”.

Harleen smiles down at the kids and tries to remind them of the plan. “Remember, when the police get here, try and look distraught. No smiles on your faces!” she teases. “We don’t know if Bruce is..okay...yet” she winks.

Both children eagerly nod, happy to finally be playing a part in this scheme that was more than a sideline role. Barbara schools her face instantly, but begins to chuckle, unable to help it as she felt that everything was secretly fine.

“You stinker”.

Harleen tickles her side. “Do we gotta rub onions in your eye cutie?”.

Barbara laughed but eventually settles down, just in time for a squad car and a van for the transport of large numbers of prisoners. A tired Montoya steps out while Harvey Bullock and Katana step out, aided by two other officers.

“Ms. Quinzel. Mr. Dent...well. There’s kind of too many of you to do an individual greeting so just hello to all of you” the tired woman says before gesturing towards the bound Talons.

“Get them in the van. We’ve got a lot going on so let’s make this as quick as we can”.

“You got it commish. You heard her boys. Get loading” Harvey extorts the street officers while doing no work himself. Montoya focuses on the group of civilians. Harleen felt her eyes drawn to the woman at her side, and she couldn’t stop the question from tumbling out of her mouth.

“Umm..commissioner?”   
  


“Yes Ms. Quinzel?”

“Whose the very quiet samurai lady next to you?”

Renee turns, having almost forgotten that she was there with how quiet the woman could be. ‘Jeez, she puts a cat’s footfalls to shame’.

“She’s…”.

“My name is Tatsu Yamashiro. I have come to pledge my allegiance to the one you call the Batman”. The woman bows at the group, wanting to show a deferential respect. Montoya was sent for a loop though, not having expected to hear the woman just say her real name. She forgets about taking a quick statement from the group at Wayne Manor, and turns to the woman.

“I thought you wanted to keep your identity secret?”

The woman seemed nonplussed and instead reaches up to remove her mask, revealing a pair of beautiful brown eyes that Renee wanted to get last in.

She regards the other woman quizzically.

“Why would I agree to going on a date with you if I wanted to keep my name from you? There is no honor for me in hiding my identity. I have no fear of showing my face”.

“Then what the hell is with the mask?”

Tatsu gives a shy little smile and turns her head, trying to collect herself for a moment. “I find it adds an air of mystery. I enjoy wearing it. Why? Did you not find it, how would you say it in English? Ohh yes, sexy?”.

Renee couldn’t turn her eyes away from the woman’s plump and sensuous lips, and she was determined to get a taste of them when the first opportunity presented itself to her. 

Harleen looks at Pamela and Harvey before turning back to Alfred and Elise, each giving her a confused look in regards to the decidedly unprofessional but cute interaction happening in front of them.

“Ehhmmm” she clears her throat, drawing the woman’s attention back.

“Ohh right, right sorry. Yes, Ms. Yamashiro here helped us back at the police state before Batwoman showed up. But let’s just take a quick statement and after the dust settles a bit we’ll come back and clear everything up. We have a situation at Wayne Tower”.

Harleen feels her heart go cold. 

“What’s going on at Wayne Tower?”

Montoya sighs. “I guess you were the wrong person to say that to but, Batman is there, trying to subdue Selina Kyle. I got a message from him, ordering me to clear three blocks in every direction around the tower. Apparently she wasn’t joking about the bombs, though she’s only got one”.

The fear on everyone’s faces was no longer feigned. 

“We’re working as hard as we can. Don’t worry. Now, what happened here?”

“They broke in, looking for us. Batman showed up and stopped them” Ivy says, watching with satisfaction as the last one of their assailants is placed in the back of the van. “Alright, works for now. Do you need any medical assistance? Was anyone hurt?”

“No”.

Montoya lingers for a moment but eventually gets the hint that there was nothing else that needed to be done here. “Alright. Stay inside. Ms. Isley...protect these people and the future Mayor please?”

“No problem. Already got an idea on what I can do” the green skinned woman says before thrusting her hands up into the air, causing a faint rumbling to cascade outwards from the Earth beneath them. They all watched in awe as a wall of green impenetrable looking wall that now surrounded Wayne Manor. 

“Holy shit”.

“Doi Shimashita”.

“Ey, stop gawking at what the green lady can do. We gotta go!”

Harvey’s shout from the cruiser brings them all back to reality, and Montoya and Katana both turn, rushing to the car without another word.

“Harleen...we have to go. Bruce will be fine I promise” Ivy says, rubbing the woman’s shoulders. This was all beginning to grate on everyone’s nerves too much. From one fire to the next. There didn’t seem to be an end.

“He’s Batman Harleen”.

“I know. I know…”.

“Come Ms. Quinzel...we must get back to the cave. Also, Ms. Isley you have managed to protect us and the manor but in the process you’ve destroyed the lawn. I must ask, can you reverse what you did following the cessation of hostilities?”

“Jeez Alfred yeah. I’ll fix the lawn I promise. Now, we shouldn’t leave Dinah down there alone. Baby hormones have her going crazy, I can tell”.

Harleen increases her hold on her children’s hands, leading them through the opening that Ivy left for them in the protective wall. ‘Yeah, she ain’t the only one’.

**_Wayne Tower, Executive Office_ **

She slashes at him, managing to get just enough contact to open a gash in his arm. Up until now they’d really just been circling one another, each looking to strike a decisive blow. It hadn’t worked to either’s favor, and all it seemed to do was increase the now patently insane woman’s ire.

“I could’ve made you happy. I would’ve been perfect for you! Don’t you see?”

She charges forward again, throwing herself at his midsection and trying to slam a fist into his stomach. It doesn’t work, and Batman manages to catch her wrist mid air, throwing her back into a desk before reversing the offensive. 

His punch lands on her shoulder, and she winces as she’s thrown back. 

She is panting now, mostly from her anger but he knew that she was being worn out. He could feel how the fight was starting to get to him as well. Still, they were still going well after any other two human combatants would have yielded.

“I would’ve died my hair blonde. Gotten breast implants to try and make my tits match that bimbo’s. I would’ve turned myself into her if that would make you love me. Who else has that kind of devotion to you Bruce? Who?”

She was patently insane and he knew that there was a way to take advantage of this. He’d learned much from Harleen that added to his already impressive stockpile of knowledge on how the human mind works. 

None of that made him hate what he had to any less.

“I barely even know you”.

She growls and throws a shard of glass at him, which he has just enough time to avoid by ducking his head to the right. Unfortunately, that also provided her the time she needed to rush back at him and pounce, sending him onto his back while she rained a flurry of punches down at his face.

“YOU BASTARD! YOU COMPLETE BASTARD!”

He tries to block them, but she was just too quick, and inevitably some of them landed. He felt the sickening crack against his jaw that was only a hairs breath away from breaking it entirely. That roused him into action more so than anything else.

He slams his head upward, smashing his forehead into Selina’s nose and crushing it. The pain was enough to get her to stop, even fall back off of him onto her rear. She leans her back against the desk, trying to gauge what had happened by gingerly bringing her hand up to her face. She feels the gush of blood and looks at the man who was trying to catch his breath as well.

She smiles, though it was more of a bloody grimace at this point as the blood from above runs down across her lips and teeth. “You’re...you’re the first to be able to land a blow like that on me since training”.

She laughs to herself, moving to her feet once more.

Bruce is just as quick, though neither move as the radio crackles to life in his cowl. “Batman! Batman do you read me!”.

He looks at Selina and sees that she has closed her eyes and turned around, focused on trying to set her nose. She wouldn’t attack. Not right now.

“Question”.

“Where the hell are you?”

“In the executive office”.

“Shit…”.

It was rare to hear the normally calm and collected man use vulgar language, and that instantly set off the alarms in Bruce’s head. “I don’t know if you heard me before but I’ve made the dirty bomb just a bomb. I can’t fully disarm it though. It’s going to blow Bruce”.

The Matriarch stands still, waiting for him to finish his conversation. This was a fight that he knew he’d never forget for how odd it was. 

“How much time do we have?”

“Six minutes”.

Bruce could do the math. He didn’t have enough time. He was too high up, and there was no way he’d be able to get out at that moment. He looks towards the window and the staggering height that was on the other side of it. 

He had a way.

“Question, get out of here. Take the Batmobile and get back the the cave”.

“But what about you?”

“Just do it. I’ll find my own way out”.

Before the conspiracy theorist can say anything else, he cuts the link. “We need to get out of here”.

“Why? What’s waiting for me outside of this building?”

“A chance to live”. 

Bruce wanted to reach the woman, to prevent any more loss of life, even her own. The harsh snicker she lets out doesn’t give him much hope that that offer would be taken. “Sure. Some kind of life. Behind the bars of a cell. At least some things wont change. I’ll still get pictures and scrap books of you. It’d be different though. I’d get to see your marriage to her, your babies…”.

Her lip quivers. “I know she’s pregnant. I was hoping to preempt that with the serum. Give it to you quick enough and make sure that for the short time she had you, you’d be firing blanks. I thought it worked until I saw the receipt for the pregnancy test on her bank statements”.

He glares at her, knowing that that was just another thing the serum had robbed him of. 

“I was soooo good at planning all these small things. I was stupid. I thought I could just focus on the garnish and forget the meat. Stroll in like I was in a victory parade”.

She stops and turns to him, shaking her head. “I’m not leaving this building Bruce”.

She slowly pulls out a knife from one of the many hidden pockets on her person, using her body to hide the fact of its existence. “And neither are you”.

She rushes forward and plunges it into the man’s thigh, pulling it out just as quickly in an attempt to strike again.    
  
Batman screams out in pain, not having expected this. ‘NEVER DROP YOUR GUARD!’ he chastises himself mentally, hating that he had so easily forgotten that vitally important lesson.

Just as Selina is about to bring the knife down upon him again, he kicks his leg out and practically disconnects her kneecap from the last of her leg as he knocks it out of her socket. He was done playing nice.    
  
He stands and kicks the knife away, bringing his knee up against her chin, sending her head snapping back on her neck. “I’m done playing your game”.

Her teeth were loose and her head was spinning. The fight was over, and even if it wasn’t she didn’t have the will to get up off of the ground. She just breathes heavily, trying to maintain her consciousness. 

“Ohh Bruce...none of us here in Gotham are ever done playing this game”.

**_Wayne Tower Storage Bay_ **

“Dammit...Dinah”.

“Yeah? Is everything okay?”

  
He was running, faster than he ever had before in his life. All he was really focused on right now was reaching the service tunnel where they had left the batmobile, needing to get away from the tower as quickly as possible.

He wanted to lie to the mother of his unborn child, he really did. 

“No. It’s not. The tower and everything around it is gonna blow”.

He couldn’t. Not then. The stakes were much too high.

“Ohh God..get the fuck out of there!”

“I’m trying Dinah. I’m almost at the batmobile now. He turns the corner of the entrance and jumps off of the platform that hoisted it up above the dirt floor. They had left the canopy open, and Vic takes advantage of that as he jumps in and starts up the engine. ‘Need to get out of the tunnels too’.

He revs the engine and takes off, rushing through the way they came in. ‘One left, two rights, and out at the Gotham train yard’. 

It was fortunate that the attacks that had happened all throughout Gotham had served to stop all forms of public transportation. The last thing he needed was to run head first into a train. 

“Where’s Batman?”

This time the question came from Harleen, and he didn’t know how to answer it at that moment. He swerves out over the tracks, happy that he was out from under the crisscrossing set of entrances to the tower but only ever so much closer to victory and death.

“Vic, where the fuck is Bruce?”

“He stayed behind. He was too high up in the building. He said he’d find his own way out”.

“Ohh God. No. There is no way out, not from that height!”

“Move. I’ve got a plan”.

Harleen shuffles Dinah out of the seat and herself into it while Question sees the literal light at the end of the tunnel. “Question, where are you?”

“Just about to exit into the Gotham train yard”.

“Good. Get out of the blast range”.

“Harleen...I’m sor…”.

“Save it. Ain’t nobody of ours is dying today. You just get your faceless butt back out on the road”.

The car shudders and indeed the entire tunnel does as the bomb goes off, shocking everyone who had known it was coming but who still weren’t ready for the full implications of its blast. The tunnel begins to collapse behind him, the concrete having been very old and frayed in this area to begin with without being shaken by a bomb meant to destroy everything in its path.

He sees the light get closer and closer, and his foot presses on the accelerator even harder. “Come on...come on”.

Just when it feels that he was too late to even save himself, the car bursts out into the sunlight, and moves rapidly along the tracks, followed by a burst of smoke and dust that rockets out of the tunnel like the backdraft of a jet engine.    
  
He heaves a sigh of relief and tries to put just a little more distance between him and the blast radius.

He pushes down on the brakes so abruptly that the forward motion of the batmobile carries it to the side, allowing him a solid look at the cityscape that stood in the background. He fully expected to see just smoke filled air where Wayne Tower was, but he is ecstatic to see that the building was still standing...for the moment.

‘There’s a chance. There’s a chance’. It was slim and he knew it. The tower’s foundation had sustained massive damage as well as much of the super structure that stretched into the sky. Smoke was already rising, and undoubtedly so were the flames. 

“The tower is still standing. But we need to act now. What’s your plan?”

“Just sit tight. Nothing you can do from there” Dinah says. “Maybe break up some of the looters around your area? I don’t know”.

“Where’s Harleen?”

“She stepped back up into the manor for a second why?”

“Is anyone with her?” Question asks breathlessly.

“I’m not...what the...ohh shit! Shit shit!”

“What?” he asks, leaning forward in the driver’s seat. “Dinah, Dinah what is it? What happened?”

“That stupid fucking...uggggghgghhh! That batwing thing? It swooped by the manor. And now Harley is gone”.

“No”.

He slams his fists down against the steering wheel. “Dammit! She’s coming here isn’t she?”

“What can you do from the ground?”

Vic looks up at the now burning building, the flames expanding over anything and everything that their tendrils could touch.

“Not a damn thing”.

**_The Ruins of Wayne Tower_ **

He awakens with a start, having been tossed against a wall on the far side of the room when the bomb went off and it seemed as if the whole building shook. Slowly he moves upwards, pressing his back against the rubble that landed atop him.

“Ugggh..”.

The smoke was swirling about the room, travelling upwards from the lower floors. The now shattered windows was a minor assistance as the smoke snaked its way through them, but there was so much it didn’t matter. 

‘The foundations held...but...not forever’.

His mind was still hazy, but regardless he stands, knowing that the only way he’d survive this was by getting to his feet.

The rubble, wood and plaster, fall off of his back and clatter to the floor behind him. “Selina…”. He remembers the woman whom he’d been locked in a life and death situation with only moments before, and he remembers the wounds he’d inflicted on her in the course of their hand to hand combat. There was no way she was getting out of here without his help.

“Selina!” he calls out again, this time louder to try and be heard over the roar of the flames and the myriad sounds of the tower slowly breaking apart. 

It was hard to see, but his lenses help him navigate while protecting his eyes. “Selina!”

He was beginning to think that she had been blown out of the building by the blast until he hears the sound of coughing. He rushes towards it, tracing it to the far side of what had once been his office.

He pushed down the pain he felt, seeing his father’s life’s work in such a state, knowing that it was all going to come crashing down very soon. ‘We can rebuild. Focus on getting out’,

The coughing continues until he’s able to make out a single word. “Bruce…”.

The another.

“Here”.

He sees her hand waving lightly from under a block of rubble that had fallen from the ceiling, pinning her to the floor. Batman gets to his knees and slips his fingers under the concrete slab, struggling to bring it upwards and making little headway until something finally gives.

“Hold on”.

The slab moves ever upwards, its weight pressing down on her replaced by the shadow of it being pushed over her. For a moment he is afraid that he would drop it back on the woman, his muscles and body being so battered, bruised and weakened after all that occurred. 

With one final heave he pushes it over, and it tumbles against the outward facing wall. 

  
As soon as it does, the whole piece of structure crumbles and leans forward, falling and breaking apart on its fall to the Gotham streets below. 

With yet another opening on this floor more undiluted oxygen flood the building, feeding the flames that were already uncontrollable. He turns away, having been distracted for a moment, and looks back down at Selina.

His face drops, and the scowl doesn’t remain there at the sight he saw.

“Selina…”.

She coughs, the dust having been particularly thick at floor level. The blood that accompanied her coughs was assuredly not a good sign, though it soon became clear why it was there.

He looked down at her body and sees the rebar sticking through her at multiple different points. Part of the floor had caved in below where she hand landed, and when the piece of cement from above landed on her chest it drove her into the twisted iron stakes that now worked to impale her through her thigh, stomach chest and her shoulder.

“No..”.

His voice came out as a whisper, so much so that he wasn’t even aware that he’d spoken the word aloud. Selina coughs once more, though this time its more of a gurgle.

“So...you...do care”.

He doesn’t respond, not able to bring words to accurately express what he wanted to say. Of all the things he wanted to see happen, this certainly was not one of them. “Hold still. I’ll try and…”.

“No...no...please don’t!”

She cries out in fear and pain, knowing that if he tried to pull her out then it would hurt more than anything else had ever hurt her before. Hot tears slid down her face, and in that moment both know that there was nothing he could do. She was going to die.

Even Batman had his limits.

She was close. She could feel the cold running up her body, starting in her legs and travelling upwards. Her hand reaches out for him and grasps his, something he allows her to do. He gently squeezes, not wanting her to feel alone in this moment.

“Can...can you do one thing for me?”

He nods his head, knowing that nothing would give her more comfort than to at least hear her out.

“One kiss...it’s all I want..please...just once. Kiss me like you’d kiss her. Just once…”.

She closes her eyes and keeps them shut, fearful of her last wish being denied to her, even now. “Just this one thing…”. Her body shakes with the force of her sobs, causing her even more pain. He reaches down and touches her shoulder, trying to keep her steady. 

He reaches up and removes his cowl, allowing her to see his face as she slowly opens her eyes again. “Okay”.

He couldn’t deny her that. He didn’t love her. He didn’t see her as much more than a madwoman who had tried to destroy the city and those he loved. But she was dying, and afraid, and asking for only one thing of him.

He leans down, allowing her to look into his eyes before they both close them. The fire finally reaches the room itself, and it begins to burn whatever was on hand instead of just saturating the air with smoke.

Selina doesn’t notice, being well beyond caring as her lips make contact with Bruce’s. He ignores the blood and the coppery taste it leaves on his lips, trying to give her some semblance of comfort. She pours all she has left into this kiss, the culmination of her life’s dreams. She wanted to scream out in joy, and sob in sorrow all at the same time.

All too soon it’s over, and Bruce pulls back while she tries to move forward to capture them again. She is held in place by the metal rods that impale her body, and in that moment she knows that she was never meant to have the objects of her desire.

Even if she had been “smarter”, most likely all this would remain just as it was between them, at least on her part. 

A fleeting dream.

Her tears were now of a much happier variety, though still tinged with tragedy. It was all of her own writing however, that much was true.

Bruce puts his cowl back in place, looking down on the woman who still regarded him with eyes that held all the adoration in the world. “Thank you Bruce..that’s all I...I ever wanted”.

“I’m sorry”.

She doesn’t know why he apologizes, and she doesn’t care. She’d like to imagine that it was for not loving her in the way she desperately needed him too. She just shakes her head lightly, the cold now pooling about in her stomach as it works its way to her heart.

“Don’t be...beloved. I die, a queen”.

She moves upwards just a bit, wanting to stare at him straight in the eyes. “I love you”.

With that she feels her last heartbeat, and the contents of her lungs, strangled and blood specked as they were, empty for the last time. Her shoulders slump and she falls back down on the concrete. A smile was upon her face, and her lifeless eyes stare off at the city she’d burned.

He couldn’t leave her like this. 

He reaches out and places his fingers over her eyelids, bringing them down over those once sparkling and mischievous green eyes.

There was nothing more to say, or do.

He moves to his feet and shuffles towards the edge of the building while he uses his gauntlet to wipe Selina’s blood off of his lips. He looks out and sees the damage wrought, making a quick tactical breakdown of his options.

The buildings directly across from him were decimated just as much as Wayne Tower, if not more so, had been. Some of them had already collapsed. It made no sense to move from one burning building to another.

The smoke was thick between them anyway. He doubted he could accurately aim his batline even with the assistance of his high tech visual equipment. 

Gliding down was equally out of the question. His cape had been damaged, too damaged, and he’d just wind up plummeting to the ground like a rock. 

He saw no options at that moment, and the thought truly was devastating. “Think, think dammit!”.

His thoughts were interrupted though, and he thought he heard something. The building shakes and groans, closer and closer to the inevitable collapse. For a moment he chalks the sound he heard up to nothing more than that. 

It was when the smoke started to swirl in front of him that he realizes the sound was something other than the building.

He steps back, wanting to be ready for anything. He didn’t know if Selina had any other back up that might still be fighting and loyal. He doubted it, and he doubted that they’d have been able to smuggle air support into the city as well.

‘Definitely a plane or helicopter of some kind’ he thinks as the shape of whatever type of aircraft it was becomes clearer and clearer. He draws a batarang, thinking that the possibility of scoring a hit on the pilot was his only chance.

The craft fully breaks through the smoke, drawing back as if it was a horse coming to a stop. It’s forward facing harrier jet style engines keep it in the air, hovering a few feet away.

He can’t help the smile that breaks out over his face at the recognition of the craft, though the smile falls as soon as the canopy opens and he sees Harleen, dressed as Batwoman, step out onto the wing. “Puddin’! Jump!”.

Her voice carries on the wind, and Bruce feels the building shift behind him. Without thinking he begins running towards the edge, ready to jump the few feet that existed between Wayne Tower and the Batwing.

His feet leave the solid footing just as it becomes less so, the entire tower collapsing in on itself and hurtling down at an astronomical speed.

He couldn’t focus, not on that. 

The batwing shakes with the added weight, though bother eagerly begin to move towards the cockpit. Bruce jumps into the pilot seat first, while Harley moves in right next to him and straps herself in. 

She turns and places her hand on his cheek, smirking to alleviate her stress. “Aintcha’ glad the calvary came?”

He looks at her and feels his anger melt, knowing what he would’ve done had the situation been reversed. “Are you alright?”

“Puddin’, it’s me who should be asking that question. I’m fine. Are you?”

He turns to look a where Wayne Tower used to be, and he doesn’t even need to speak to communicate the great sense of loss he was feeling at that moment. “Batman...Bruce...we can rebuild. I promise”.

He turns to her and sees the conviction behind her cowl, the open and trusting smile on her face. 

He believes her.

“I know”.

“What happened to Selina Kyle?”

“She didn’t make it”.

“Ohh”.

The cabin goes silent as Bruce maneuvers the batwing away, still scanning for threats as they soar through the sky over Gotham. “I hated her guts but...I didn’t want her to die”.

Bruce remains quiet, though other questions come to his mind. One specifically.

“Did Question make it?”

“Yeah he did puddin’. He listened to you which is more than I can say for me...I’m sorry”.

“Don’t be” he interrupts her. “You saved my life. Again”.

Without either thinking much of it, she places her hand on his thigh and rubs, the motion a comforting and warming sensation. “I’m glad. There was nothing else he could’ve done”.

“I agree. I was gonna yell at him but...hey, it wouldn’t have made sense for both you knuckleheads to die. Hehe...the blonde saved the day!”.

He found her sense of humor infectious and he couldn’t help but smile along despite the overwhelming sense of defeat he felt. Looking around the city from an unobstructed aerial view didn’t help either.

While the number of soldiers had been smaller than they’d originally thought, the damage they’d managed to inflict was far greater by comparison.

Selina really had gotten the most bang out of her buck.

Their comms crackle to life, and Bruce clicks them on, allowing two way communication. “Harley goddammit! Are you fucking insane? If you or that baby you’re carrying gor hurt...I’ll...I’ll..”.

“Pamela. Harleen is fine”.

“Bruce...thank god you’re okay. But Harleen, you are still in trouble! That is MY goddaughter in there! You understand?”

“Yes Pam. I’m sorry but...I had to do somet…”.

“Don’t….ugggh” Pam screams in frustration. Slowly she calms down, but it was clear from the tone of her voice that she was still beyond irritated. “Whatever. I wont argue with you. I probably would have done the same thing but...dammit you’re too headstrong. Just...I’m mad at you”.

“You definitely would’ve done the same thing Pam” Harleen teases. “Consider this payback for when you broke out of Arkham. I know. Girl’s night to make it up to you?”

“Add me into that too you bitch. Leaving me here to man the computers all alone” Dinah interjects. “Dinah, the kids are right here!”

“Sorry Pam…”.

“I’m mad at you too” comes a petulant and utterly adorable little voice that could only be assumed to be Barbara. Harleen knew she was facing a mutiny, and that wouldn’t do. After all, the girls had to stick together. 

“Alright, all of us are having a girls night where you yell at me and then we’ll all eat ice cream and watch movies. Barbara gets to pick the ice cream and movies”.

“Yay!”

She was already back in the little girl’s good graces, which was half the battle for her. 

Another line drops in, and it was clear that this one was coming from commissioner Montoya. “Hold on guys. GCPD boss is callin” Harleen teases while putting the open link to the batcave on hold, allowing them to listen in on the call.

“Batwoman?”

“And Batman!” Harleen interjects, surprising the woman on the other end of the line. “Thank God. We’ve got another problem”.

“Ohh gee, great. Another one” Harleen says, crossing her arms over her chest. “Wayne Tower is gone. Selina Kyle is dead”.

“I know...I saw the tower go down. But...did you kill her?”

“No”.

The other end of the line goes silent, as it was clear Montoya was thinking over what she had to say next. “I believe you. We’ve dispatched rescue units to the area, but we’re undermanned. We’re trying to put out too many fires and we’re doing well, but it’s going slowly. That’s why we really didn’t need this new inferno”.

“What happened?” 

“Joker happened” Renee says. “He and a few other inmates have taken over the asylum. They’re threatening to kill everyone unless Batwoman and Doctor Harleen Quinzel show up”.

The blonde feels the rage bubble up inside of her at the mere mention of the Joker’s name.    
  
“Not going to happen” comes Batman’s gruff response. 

Harleen glares at him, not appreciating being spoken for.

“I know. I’m not letting Quinzel get anywhere near that place. As it is she’s holed up in Wayne Manor. Speaking of, do you have Wayne? Is he safe?”

“Not with us right now. He’s still recuperating from the toxin Selina Kyle used on him. We’ll deliver him to the GCPD as soon as he’s stable”.

“We trust you Batman. Katana and I are on our way to asylum now. We could really use the support”.

  
He turns to Harleen, asking her wordlessly who Katana was. "Ohh some samurai vigilante. Helped Montoya. You'd like her. She wants to meet you and pledge "loyalty to your clan" she tease with air quotes. Batman shakes off the issue and decides to indeed just meet whoever she was later at the asylum. He refocuses on speaking to the commissioner.

“On my way”.

Just like that he severs the link and focuses ahead. “I’m taking you home…”.

“No..you’re not”.

“We’re not debating this”.

“Yes we are Bruce” she says. “Look, I know. The baby is my first priority too. But he’s going to kill them I know it. He probably singled out people he KNOWS that I really love there. They’re part of my family too Bruce. My patients, my responsibility”.

“No..”

“I’m not asking to get out and fight with you. I’m asking to provide air support. This baby has a bunch of gadgets I could use to distract him puddin. Just...just say yes because you already know you’re going too” she teases.

He glares at the sky and shakes his head before turning that very same bat glare on her. “You take one step out of this plane...one step…”.

She nods and crosses her heart with her other hand up in the air, making a solemn oath. “I promise I won’t. But I want the spanking either way” she teases, still leaning on humor to soothe her very frayed nerves.

Bruce blushes and distracts himself by summoning Question.

“Question, are you still in the batmobile?”

“Batman, thank god…”

“Answer me!”

“Yes I am. What’s happening?”

“We’re needed at Arkham. Lets finish this day once and for all”.

Harleen felt the rage inside of her once more as her mind remembers how she saw Dick fall into the vat of acid. What she saw him become because of the Joker. He wasn’t going to get away with this.

“Let’s go stomp on a clown” Harleen adds over the radio.

“On my way”.

The line severs and Bruce returns to fully focusing on flying the craft towards the mental hospital. He meant it about finishing today. 

The Joker was going to receive a very stern rebuke.


	34. Chapter 34

**_The Road to Arkham_ **

The flashing lights atop the police cruisers went on in their rhythmic patterns while the sirens accompanied the makeshift police convoy of four cars through the impending twilight. The sun was setting on Gotham, a Gotham destroyed by the events preceding it.

The fight wasn’t over yet.

“Bullock, how long?”

“Five minutes give or take commish”.

“Dammit we’re running out of time”.

“Wake from death and return to life”.

Renee turns around to look into the rear seat through the bars usually there to hold in prisoners and inmates. Katana looked back at her serenely, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. 

She sighs to herself and pinches her nose. “Look...Tatsu, at ANY other time that mystical samurai stuff would be sexy as all hell, but we have a situation…”.

“It’s a saying from my homeland” Tatsu stops her. “It means to turn a desperate situation to one’s benefit”.

“And how the hell are we going to turn a breakout and riot at Arkham to our benefit? Please explain that?”

Before the warrior woman has a chance to respond the sound of something passing overhead distracts them. It was something large and fast.

Harvey barely has a chance to lean forward over the steering wheel to get a glimpse of the unidentified flying object while Renee cranes her neck out of the passenger side window of the car.

It was the batwing, though it was a fact Tatsu was already well aware of. 

She simply melds herself back into her meditative state, placing her hand on the drawn blade of the katana that lays in her lap. 

_ “Pledge your loyalty. He is an honorable Shogun”. _

“Hai Souruteika”.

“Is that crazy Jap dame talking to her sword? Owwww”

Harvey looks over at Renee who had punched him in the arm for making that comment, and glares at him. The glare is easily returned by the corpulent detective who continues to drive. “Shouldn’t punch the driver. Driving gives me a pass to make dumb statements”.

Montoya ignores the man and picks up the radio from in the dashboard as Arkham’s almost sinister outline comes into view from beyond the trees. “All units. Be ready for anything. As it is I already see inmates roaming the yards. Don’t kill anyone unless they’re directly trying to kill you. Comprende?”

There was grumbling from the other cars, the culture of GCPD being a shoot first and ask questions later mentality. They were good cops, and more importantly they were being asked to do the job of a soldier in Gotham. But they had to do this by the book.

The lead car swerves into the gravel driveway that went around a large stone fountain, parking as close to the door as possible.    
  
Harvey turns the key in the ignition off while Renee unbuckles her seatbelt. The entire area was illuminated by the flashing police lights as the other cars joined in and unloaded their human cargo, all readying their weapons just in case. 

It was clear that most of the inmates outside of the asylum were not hostile as they all crowded around the police cars, eager for the protection of the GCPD, something that nobody would have done in their right mind before her time as commissioner.

She couldn’t help but smile, being rather proud of herself. ‘Already making a difference Montoya’.

“Alright, Tatsu, I’m going to let you….”

Before she could finish speaking, the sound of the right rear passenger door opening assaults her ears, and she looks away from her seatbelt upward to peer into the backseat. Tatsu was gone, and the door was left open. 

She frantically looks everywhere around the yard in front of Arkham, but she finds nothing that would hint at where the woman had gone.

‘You know exactly where she’s gone’.

“You gonna put a bell or tracker on her or something?”

“Probably going to have too…”

The commissioner gets out of the car and turns to some of the patients who were now all eagerly asking her questions. Only SOME of which were rational.

“Are we safe here?”

“Can we go free then?”

“Will this affect tacos tomorrow?”

“Hey, hey, hey!” she shouts, quieting them down with the force of her authority. “You’re safe yeah. No, you can’t go free and….probably but I’ll see what I can do to make sure tacos still happen”.

Another vehicle was moving up the drive, its dark shape hiding it somewhat more effectively under the canopy of the trees. It blasts into the area and comes to a stop right in front of the startled police officers, who all raise their pistols and aim them at the vehicle.

“Put ‘em down. I have a feeling I know who it…”

The canopy opens and Question jumps out of the side, rushing towards the group. “Ohh...guess I don’t. Who the hell are you?”

“Names Question. Don’t have time. I’m with Batman. He’s in the Asylum”.

The man had made everyone easily uncomfortable upon their first look at him. “Commish...he ain’t got a face”.

Montoya was the only one who seemed to be able to handle the constant sucker punches Gotham put her way, and she moves forward to stop the man. “Hey Dick Tracy. I can’t let you go in there unfortunately. It’s a crime scene now and…”.

“And you need all the help you can get. So does Batman. Let me in there. I’d rather not force my way past you”.

“Dammit, whats with you masks and thinking you run this city huh? No, I ain’t letting you in…”.

The conspiracy theorist brushes past her, just as he promised her he would. Time was of the essence and he wasn’t going to waste the precious little he had left on dealing with the police.

“Hey stop! Free..”   
  


Harvey was ready to fire his pistol into the man’s back until Montoya placed her hand atop the barrel and lowered it. “Let him go. It isn’t worth it and you’ll scare the others out here. Alright!” she turns and addresses every one now. 

“Let’s get these people to a safe distance and then we can discuss if we go into Arkham or if its even needed”.

**_The Air Above Arkham_ **

Harleen was left alone in the batwing, a fact she was not a fan of at all but something she knew was absolutely necessary. 

Her free hand goes to her belly and smiles teasingly. “Whoever you are in there puddin’ pop, I hope you know how much butt kicking mama is giving up for you”.

She had dropped Batman on the far eastern side of the asylum, and for good reason. It was easily seen that Joker and Jester were on the roof with their three victims. It was horrible, just as they knew it would be. 

They were each tied to a stake with a massive amount of broken chairs and stacks of old medical records around them. Judging by the empty gas tanks around them and the fact that they looked wet despite their being no rain, it wasn’t hard to guess at what Joker’s plan was.

The pale skinned man had seen them as well, flying through the air over the building. Initially Bruce had wanted to swoop down and tackle the issue head on, but one look from the Joker made him realize that it wasn’t possible.

The clown had gauged what they were planning and had opened the guard uniform he wore to reveal the sticks of dynamite that lined his chest. They weren’t sure how he got it, or if it was even authentic, but it was better to assume that they were real instead of risking the three people being held hostage atop the building and indeed the building and all its occupants itself. 

There was the added fact of Joker chastisingly waving his finger in the air then clicking on a lighter with his free hand.

It was made very clear that he wasn’t playing around. 

Harleen wanted to cry out equal measures of rage and fear at seeing the three figures bound. “Joan, Jerry and Doyle...that bastard”.

“Batwoman”.

The radio crackled to life and the blonde was quick to answer it. “Yes Batman?”

“You’re still visible. I want you to change that. Activate camouflage”.

“Okkkay...how? This toy is still super new to me”.

“It’s voice activated”.

“Ohh...umm...camouflage?”

Her words unsteady and unsure, but they had the desired effect. The batwing’s exterior shimmers until it disappears entirely, at least to the outside eye. “Woooah Batman! This is awesome”.

The sound of the engine was muffled as well, two filters retracting from out of the wings and molding themselves around the engines to quiet them in a way she didn’t even think was possible.

“It’s also experimental. You’re not 100% hidden, but it’s enough to allow us an advantage”.

“Where are you?”

“Right above the cafeteria. Joker has posted the majority of his armed guards here. The stairway is right behind them. I’m going to clear this room and then the ward. There are reports of Szasz taking hostages”.

She felt an icy hand grip her heart. 

“Ohh no...not Zsasz”

“He won’t hurt any of them. I wont give him the chance”.

She gulps her fear down, trying to remain strong. “Okay. What do you want me to do now?”

“I want you to do a quick biometric scan of the room. Give me a quick estimate of where they are and if they’re armed”.

She pulls up the scanner as quick as possible, having made herself attuned to many of the batwing’s capabilities. While she does that, the vehicle slowly moves to the right and upwards, positioning itself at eye level with the cafeteria. 

She was amazing how the batwing syncs up with the lenses in her cowl, and she has a view past the walls and into the room.

“Oh spooky”.

She saw them all as skeletons, walking about with machine guns.    
  


“Yup, they’ve got rifles”.

“They’re most likely from the Arkham emergency armory. Nowhere else they could get them on such short notice. That means they have Wayne Tech”.

She smiles wide. “Got a naughty surprise for our would be hostage takers?”

“Hmm”.

“I ever tell you I absolutely hate when you do that”.

Bruce doesn’t respond, still moving about the vents above the room stealthily. “Alright, I’m in position. I want you to hack into the electronic trackers. They’ll seize and melt the firing pin. A little...undisclosed function of the rifle”.   
  
“You got it boss”.

She reaches forward and presses down on the screen, triggering the function she so desired as the computer on the batwing was communicating with the rifles via electronic waves.

She watches as the guns indeed fizzle and break, even giving the men holding them quite a shock as they drop them on the ground and hold their hands and fingers. “Ohh this is nifty!”.

“I’m going dark for a moment”.

She could hear the satisfaction in his voice, and she knew what he meant because of it. “Ohh don’t worry about me. You do what you need to do. Let me just...enjoy the show”.

She was going to watch him take these thugs down in a way she never had before thanks to the wondrous developments of Wayne Enterprises.

‘Ohh I see him!’

There was a skeleton crouched in a kneeling position right above one of the goons. 

‘Ohh yeah. Kick his ass puddin’.

**_Arkham Asylum Cafeteria_ **

The thugs didn’t know what happened, and each of them looked at one another in the hope that the others might know. They weren’t really sure of what they were supposed to do anyway as the Joker hadn’t given then any instructions beyond “wear this mask, stand here and look menacing”.

They had their answer to the root of their bosses plans soon enough.

Batman smashes down on the man who was immediately in the center of the room, bringing him to the ground and delivering a knockout blow would’ve put Mike Tyson down.

“Shit! It’s the bat! The bat! The bats here!” one begins to cackle, unable to help himself as the fear takes over his entire body. 

‘Mental patients. Be softer’ Bruce reminds himself before rushing forward to the nearest one and grabbing his shoulders, ducking to dodge a punch being thrown his way. He brings the man back and then forward, slamming the side of his head against one of the tables.

He lets the unconscious body slide to the floor and faces off against the remaining group, which apparently sees the wisdom in the motto of “strength in numbers” and opts to attack him all at once. 

“Well, well, well” a cruel voice interjects. “What do we have here?”

Victor Zsazs walks out of one of the adjoining hallways and smirks as he presses the blade of his knife against his palm. Numerous new cuts crisscrossed his body, the fresh blood slowly making its way down his skin.

Bruce had been told of the psychopath by Harleen, and he knew what that meant.

His eyes narrow in anger at the fact of yet more blood having been spilled in Arkham, this time some of Harleen’s patients.

“If it isn’t the big bad bat. Tell me, should I make a cut for you?”

“Not if you want to keep your bones intact”.

The man just laughs and presses the blade into his flesh, making a new incision. “Usually I only cut AFTER I’ve made the kill. It’s just more professional that way. But you? Ohh for you I can make an exception. This is all fun and no work for me bats!” he seethes, standing their with the knife drawn.

He charges forward at the same time as the thugs, who each seem to want to coordinate their methods with one another for the best possible chance of taking him down. He focuses on Zsazs first, seeing him as the immediate threat. Still, even as he charged at the man, fist drawn and ready to deliver some pain in revenge for Harley and the patients she’d lost.

He was off balance though, and the knife wound he’d received from Selina wasn’t helping him keep it. Zsasz reaches him first, though he was unable to land a lucky knife hit as Batman catches the man’s wrist in his hand.

The psychopath’s strength was not negligible and it was hard to keep him from thrusting it any further. Batman was hanging on, just barely though, as he fights for his second wind.

“What’s the matter bats? Feeling off your game?”   
  
Zsasz didn’t notice, but Bruce did. ‘Why aren’t the others attacking?’

He doesn’t spare a glance as he knows that might be his undoing, but he does hear the sound of a scuffle behind him. Apparently Zsasz does too at that moment, and he looks up over Batman’s shoulder to see Katana battling the Joker’s cohorts.

There was only three to begin with, but they were rapidly down to two as Katana uses the butt of her sword to knock them out, swinging against the face of one of the men with the flat to take him down. 

Zsasz was distracted by the shining of her blade, and that was all the opportunity the bat themed vigilante needed.

As the killer was distracted in his lust for the new and much more dangerous blade, Batman twists his arm and slams his fist into the table, sending the blade scattering away. Zsasz’s eyes go wide at the fact of him losing something he considers and extension of his body, and he loses focus.

Batman almost smiles as he brings down one hell of a haymaker on the psychopath. Almost.

Zsasz’s body slams against the floor, further injuring him as his head bounces up and down.

He turns, wanting to assist the woman who was obviously on his side if she was taking out the goons threatening to kill him.

She was also finished, and she sheathes her blade back within the scabbard at her side, content that the threat was extinguished. 

For the moment.

He looks over the woman who returns the appraisal. 

“You didn’t kill them”.

“Bango”

“Why not?”

“Because it would be dishonorable to kill a sick man not in control of his mind”. Slowly she bows, showing a respect to the man that he wasn’t ready for. “I am Katana. My real name is Tatsu Yamashiro. I am here to vow allegiance and fealty to you as my Shogun”.

Whatever this was, he wasn’t ready to sort through it, though he had an understanding of the code of bushido. He could only guess at the motivations of this woman to come so far to see him as her Shogun.

He notices that one of the thugs was getting up from behind the woman, and he had happened to grab Zsasz’s knife. Before Batman can even issue a warning, a green plastic lunch tray comes flying out of nowhere and hits right against the man’s throat, sending him down for the count. 

Katana and Batman both search for the source of the unorthodox missile, and find it strolling into the room from the opposite side of the hall.

Question tips his hat upwards at the two, suave and stoic as usual.

Batman instantly relaxes, and so does Katana who releases her grip upon the sword at her side. 

“Question. I’m glad you made it”.

“Same to you Batman”.

The three are silent, trying to come up with something to say or possibly just to reflect on what was happening. “We need to get to the roof. Joker has hostages”.

“Hai. We must move quickly”.

Question says nothing, but he saddles up beside the other two as they ascend the stairs to the roof. 

“Any plans?”

Batman didn’t know how to answer Vic’s question, but he did know that they didn’t have a solid plan. “No. Joker didn’t allow us too get a close enough look and it was too risky to try anything then. We don’t want to risk the hostages”.

“Agreed. I heard on the radio that Batwoman left. Is she here?”

Bruce closes his eyes for a moment and sighs. “Yes. But she’s safe”.

**_Back at the Batwing_ **

“Holy shit she moves fast”.

She watched the whole fight via the batwing, and she had to say...she was more than impressed. Katana moved like everything just came naturally, as if her sword was only an extension of her body. She didn’t kill them either, showing the proper restraint towards those who were sick and in need of help.

‘Puddin’, definitely consider adding her to our little group’ she thinks before that strain of womanly jealousy bubbles up within her.

‘Wait, pledge to him as her Shogun? What does that mean?’

She begins to ascend in the batwing, moving up to the next floor which was in actuality the roof. Luckily the Joker didn’t see the shimmering object in the air which would have tipped him off to someone being there.

He was still laughing maniacally, but Harleen couldn’t hear what he was saying. Slowly she turns on the audio frequency funnel, allowing her to hear the man’s words. Slowly it’s tuned in, and 

“Ohh god...Bruce...get there...now”.

**_Arkham Asylum Roof_ **

They burst through the door, though never move much further than a few feet from it as soon as the Joker raises his hand with the detonator in it. 

“Uh uh uh...nobody move any closer or….well, I get it. Hahahahah”.

He descends into laughter at his dark joke, though it serves his purpose in getting the three vigilantes to stop.

“Doe…”.

“Joker...please”.

Bruce wouldn’t have given into the man’s demands, but one look at three heavily wounded and frightened hostages was enough to convince him that he had no choice. 

“What are your demands Joker?”

“Demands? Me?” The clown appeared scandalized. “I don’t have any demands! What do I look like? Some garden variety terrorist? No. No. All I want is to see Harleen Quinzel and for us to ride off happily into the sunset which...is...I suppose a demand. Sorry, sorry, with all the medicine I’ve been getting out of my system some things are...hazy to say the least”.

He looks down at his hand. “Like this deadman’s switch for example. I don’t even remember where I got it, but I do know this. If I let it go the whole building goes up. And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men will never Arkham together again. Ain’t that right Dickie boy?”

“That’s right papa Joker”.

Dick saddles up next to the man, discomforting everyone as he hugs his side, remaining close and giving everyone else cause for alarm. If Joker went….so did Dick.

“Let the boy go Joker”.

“Why would I do that? He doesn’t want to be anywhere but here after all. He’s going to meet his mommy soon, when Dr. Quinzel gets here”.

Dick looks up at angrily. “I thought you said you’d think about Batwoman. Where’s Batwoman?”

“Ohh you little scamp, the thing you have to realize about adults is….WE LIE!” 

Joker descends into maniacal laughter, and Dick just glares angrily up at him. “Ohh calm down Jr. Trust me, this’ll all work out. I’ll have your mama whip you up a thing of hot cocoa when we’re done”.

“Now…” he says, the smile falling off of his face as he turns and glares at Batman. “Where’s Harleen?”

“She isn’t coming. There’s no good way that this ends for you”.

Batman steps forward but stops again as Joker raises the switch. “Don’t test me bats! You’re just a distraction aren’t you? Well it won’t work. I know Harleen. She’s around here somewhere. She wont let her little pets die without showing her face”.

“YOU ARE A MAN WITHOUT HONOR!”

Joker turns to see Katana for the first time and smiles, giving a little wave. “Ohh hello there. Bats...I forgot about your company. Faceless and this as of yet unnamed spicy piece of wasabi”.

He casts a lewd and lascivious look over her body, which only serves to make everyone feel sick. He shrugs though, losing interest just as quickly. “Not my type I’m afraid. Unlucky break! If she was I’d have told you to hand her over in place of Harleen but alas, I like blondes. Tell me Bats, would you?”

He licks his lips, excited by the thought. 

“Would you have sacrificed one woman for another? I’m just curious. After all, sometime you have to sacrifice a pawn to save the queen”.

Batman remains silent, his rage growing and growing with every word the man spoke. 

“Eh, I’m really getting bored. So, let’s do some math. I know Harley’s here. I know she isn’t going to let one of her precious friends get hurt, and...well, I have a clear way to get to her”.

Without warning his free hand reaches into his pocket and retracts a pistol. He turns and aims it right at the furthers stake where Jerry was bound. A round is fired, and it imbeds itself right in the man’s thigh, causing him to scream and blubber. “YOU FUCKER!” Doyle shouts, the three of them having remained quiet up until now.

Unfortunately, a spark had lit as the bullet connected with a portion of Jerry’s bone, and it flew out, bursting around them and igniting the fuel. 

“Whoopsie” Joker teases as the papers and the stakes begin to take light, the flames already licking up the struggling captives legs. “Ohh god! Please. Please help us!”

“I’ve got kids!”

“DOCTOR HARLEEN!”

Batman was about to spring into action, all three were despite the risks posed by trying to take the Joker head on. 

A roar above them stops their movement as Harleen disengages the cloaking devices and sends the batwing forward over the roof. The bomb bays open, and a thick layer of fire retardant foam is cast over the entire roof, even quite comically covering the Joker.

“BATWOMAN!” Dick shouts in excitement, reaching up childishly towards the plane.

The canopy opens and Harleen steps out.

The standstill was back on.

“Bat bitch. Thanks for showing up and ruining everything”.

Harleen was standing on the hovering vehicles wing, glaring down at him in such a way as to rival Batman in ferociousness. “You’re going down Doe”.

“Ohh I think not. You see, I still have my little bombs, and this!”.

He moves to take aim with the pistol again, though he also grabs Dick by the scruff of his neck and keeps him close, the pistol pointed at the little boy’s temple. Harleen stood there, her hand drawn back and the batarang ready to be let loose.

“Do you trust your aim Batwoman? I’m curious. You really, realllllly trust it. This little boy’s life is in the balance after all”.

Batman knew that this was getting out of hand, and he gestures to Katana to slip around the man whose focus was now away from his captives and upon Batwoman.

They needed medical attention, and in order to get them to it they needed to get off this roof. Katana and Question slowly slip around, working their way over to the rear of the beams. Katana uses her sword to slice through the bindings while Question holds the injured Jerry first, helping him down. 

“Let the boy go”.

“No I don’t think I will. You see...you care about my little guy don’t you?”   
  


The Joker begins to run his hands through Dick’s hair, the boy continuing to smile to himself as he doesn’t realize, nor care about what was going on around him at that moment. All he saw was that Batwoman was there, and that she had come for him.

“He’s not your son”.

“Ohh but he is. He is. You see? I made him. Not the traditional way of course but still, I made this little guy who he is...well...in a way...maybe..hehe...maybe you and I did”.

Batwoman scowls at that idea, hating how he was manipulating Dick.

“After all, he is rather fixated on you. Has been since he got out of that soup. And our faces are the last he saw. You hear that batsy?” he teases at the man who was still trying to think of a way to save everyone involved. “Your girlie and I made a baby! A bouncing bundle of mayhem!”

“But still, I’d rather have doctor Quinzel. You see, you were, how would I put this? A dalliance. A mistake. Ohh it’s best not to let the kiddo see mom and dad fight. After all, we should be working together! But he’s gonna have a stepmom and you’re just gonna have to get over the fact that you let this handsome face go!”

He descends into another bout of laughter, and Batman quietly slips a batarang into his hand. Harleen may not have had an angle that she was sure wouldn’t hurt the child. But Batman did...and one that would not only disarm him of his pistol, but of the very means he was using to hold them all hostage. 

“Don’t worry. We can still engage in some ex sex from time to time. I’ll even promise not to bite you or slice your skin when it gets really really kinky! Well, not too hard at least”.

He hears the disturbance in the air, but before he could do anything the batarang slices through the red wire attaching the explosives to the dead man’s switch, negating the charge that would be generated by him letting go, and thus rendering the explosive device useless.

The piece of steel keeps going and imbeds itself in the pistol grip while also slicing his fingers open. He howls in pain and drops his pistol, glaring at Batman as Dick is thrown away across the gravel of the roof. 

He screams out in pain, though it was clear he wasn’t too injured.

“Fine then. You…”.

Before Batman can get to him, another shape intervenes. Harleen jumps down off of the batwing and brings her fist squarely into the Joker’s face, knocking him back. She continues the assault, moving forward and levelling more damaging blows upon the man.

She doesn’t say anything and her face is etched in pure rage as she continues to try and turn Joker’s face into pulp. Above it all was the sound of his laughter. He wasn’t even fighting back, apparently he knew when he was beat. What mattered to him was making her cross the line. 

He didn’t care if he died. 

Just as long as he left some sort of pain in his wake.

Batman was about to intervene, Katana and Question both themselves still dealing with trying to aid the injured. But his eyes land on Dick, who was now scrambling across the roof to try and pick up the Joker’s discarded pistol.

It had been damaged by Harleen’s batarang, but either way he needed to stop the child from getting it, injuring himself or others in the process. 

He leaps forward and grasps Dick by the waist, taking a bola off of his waist and wrapping it around the young child’s arms without hurting him. Jester was not the main issue at hand, but indeed he was dangerous, especially if he was underestimated.

“Lemme go! Lemme go loser!”

Bruce doesn’t have time to respond to the childish taunts, as he was much more focused on helping Harley. 

He picks up the discarded pistol and crushes it with the hydraulic inserts that line the inside of his gloves, giving him something akin to super strength when they were applied.

He tosses the shattered remnants away and turns to see Katana watching Harley pummel Joker.

It comes to a head when she pulls out a batarang and twists it in her hand, ready to bring down the sharp point directly into the Joker’s throat.

“Batwoman!”

The sound of Batman’s voice stops her cold, and she turns to look at Bruce. She doesn’t feel so certain of what she’s doing anymore, and even her inner voice is whispering that this is wrong.

“Put it down”.

He said the words with a softness she didn’t expect, not in this situation and certainly not while he was wearing the suit, which sometimes made him seem like a completely different person.

“This isn’t you”.

“What are you listening to him for huh?” the Joker interjects. “Come on, think about all I did. Little Dickie in the acid bath, killing all those guards. Hurting the doctor and a few others whose names I cannot recall at this moment. Be smart. I’m promising you I’m only going to keep doing it. Why? Because it’s funny”.

She couldn’t stop the psychiatrist in her. She was analyzing every one of his words, trying to guage what he was trying to do. 

_ “Don’t let him get in your head” _

Bruce’s words from their very first meeting come back to her, and as she has the clown crushed against a wall, ready to tear open his jugular, she thinks about everything that had happened since then. 

‘There’s so much good in your life Harleen’.

She tries to quiet these thoughts, and instead she wants to focus on how it felt to hear Jerry squeal in pain, or to see him, Doyle and Joan set on fire. Even worse was replaying the memory of Dick falling into the acid.

It was all too much and she felt the murderous rage inside of her.

‘You’re a doctor. Do no harm. A mother, a lover, a friend, a daughter. Don’t do this’.

All of these titles slowly filter through her mind and she attaches a face to each of them, and she knew that every single person she loved would be horrified if she did this. 

She drops the batarang, though she keeps the glare.

She doesn’t see it, but Bruce physically relaxes, his shoulders dropping and much of the tension with it as well.

“I understand you”.

The words were delivered to the Joker, and his smile fades at the promise in them. “You want us all to be like you. Be hopeless. Careless. Have nothing left that matters to us. That isn’t freedom like you think it is. Just the absence of meaning. None of us are like you” she seethes, slamming him back down as he tries to move forward and fight her, his shattered face twisted by the damage wrought by Harleen’s fists. 

“You’re all alone”.

He wants to fight her on that, reach forward and claw at her face. But...something dawns on him, and the anger spills away as he realizes it.

  
The figure before him? She was infinitely familiar.

His eyes widen as his lips twist into a macabre smile, showcasing his shattered teeth.

“Ohh...now that? That is possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever heard”.

He begins to laugh, a deep and haunting laugh that echoes all about the asylum ground which were now crawling with police who had moved in following the climax of other arrests and standoffs in the city.

He continues laughing, even as Batwoman slams him up, turns him around, and places a pair of handcuffs she kept on her belt around the man’s wrists. She then lets him lay on the gravel, wrapped up nicely for the police to come and pick up.

She turns and walks back towards Batman who regards her simply, though it was clear he was proud of her. “Let’s leave him for the police. An early Christmas present”.

Joker’s laughter didn’t abate, at least not entirely, and he still chuckled to himself, happy at having a little secret he was going to keep all to himself.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2nd to last chapter wooo! Just want to continue to thank everyone for sticking with me through this first segment. I love all of you guys and really appreciate the time you've taken out to review and tell me what you think.

**_Gotham Channel 7_ **

The bombastic music that signalled the beginning of almost every news cast was missing from tonight’s opening, and instead they simply opened by panning in on Vicki Vale, who would be serving as anchor.

The woman looked solemnly at the screen, feeling out of her depth now that she had been bumped up to anchor following the death of Jack Ryder. She still knew that Gotham needed to know what was going on, especially now.

“I..they gave me a script” she begins, holding up the stack of papers and gently swaying them in front of the camera. “But I don’t want to read from it. I think what Gotham needs right now is honesty, and I know the media isn’t good at doing that”.

She chuckles lightly at her own wry joke, and she knows that the studio executives, the one’s left anyway, would be furious at her for doing this. But she had to. ‘Always wanted to go freelance anyway’.

“Yesterday...Gotham was hit really hard. We didn’t know any of this, and the details are still hazy but, a secret society has been controlling this city for a long time. Selina Kyle, former ceo of Wayne/Stagg industries, exposed that”.

Every ear in Gotham was listening to her, hanging on her every word. 

“In order to continue to cement her power as leader of this group, who we have been told called themselves the Court Of Owls, Ms. Kyle decided to burn Gotham down. She failed”.

“Not only did the remnants of the GCPD fight back, but other heroes stepped up to the plate. Heroes they wont let us talk about out of fear of legitimizing them. As if Batman needs the approval of city hall. I just want everyone to realize how many sacrifices were made on their behalf I guess. Gotham is broken, but it isn’t dead. We can rise from the ashes just like always. And Batman...Batwoman? If you’re listening, and if the others who were with you are listening too...thank you”.

She looks back down at the desk and grabs the second stack of papers which contained a more dry rendition of the events that had transpired in Gotham.

“Police Commissioner Renee Montoya had this to say…”.

The screens cut away to another feed, though from earlier in the day upon the steps of the battered but still standing GCPD. Montoya stood at the podium, speaking loudly and clearly into the microphone while Harvey Bullock stood beside her.

“Officers of the GCPD made a bold stand yesterday, and we held against impossible odds. But it wasn’t without help, and most likely, without that help we wouldn’t be here today. That’s why I am announcing a series of reforms. First and foremost, if you’re a cop who left your post? Hand in your badge. We don’t want you hear anymore. Secondly? Don’t even think of asking us to take down Batman. This department will cooperate to the best of our abilities, but rest assured we will not sit back and let him do all the work. From this day on, I’m going to work to make sure Gotham has a police force it can trust”.

The angle shoots back to Vicki who continues on without missing a beat. “The commissioner has promised sweeping reforms in how the department operates. In fact she has worked tirelessly to create a commission, as nonpartisan as possible, to look into what exactly happened over the years of Loeb being in charge”.

She flips the page and sees the next prompt, deciding to add a bit of levity. “Harvey Dent can now be considered the future mayor of Gotham city. After Mayor Hamilton Hill’s death in what is now being called the Owl War, Deputy Mayor Sloan took over, though he has prematurely conceded the race to Harvey Dent. Votes are still being tallied, but with Sloan dropping out at zero hour, it’s clear who the victor is”.

“In even lighter news, billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne was returned to GCPD by the Batman just last yesterday. Following what was, at the time, thought to be a kidnapping by the Court, was actually a rescue mission in which Batwoman protected him from his assailants. He was poisoned however, and had to be taken away by the vigilantes who apparently stabilized him and brought him back to health. He was release from the hospital last night”.

The camera shifts once again, though it was now facing Gotham Hospital where Bruce Wayne was exiting and trying to make it to the car and Alfred. His girlfriend, Harleen Quinzel, who the female population of Gotham secretly envied and gossiped about at every turn, was on one side, while his adoptive daughter Barbara was on the other. Each held his hand tightly, while Jason Todd, his son, was latched onto Harleen.

As usual, anything relating to Bruce Wayne drew a crowd. “Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne! Do you have anything to say about your ordeal or to Gotham City at large?”

The man was covered in cuts and bruises, each dotted in their own turn with a bandage or stitches. He looked like he’d been through a meat grinder, though that only made him a greater object of sympathy.

“Umm...well…”.

The man appeared embarrassed, and it was only partly for show. As good as Bruce had gotten at playing pretend, he never truly felt comfortable around the press who gawked and probed into every aspect of his life.

“Give the guy a break will ya? He’s been through enough”. Harleen however, wasn’t faking at all when she was being the doting girlfriend.

“It’s okay Harleen. Umm, well, I guess I just want to say that I feel your loss” he says, making many of the reporters quit. “But like you, I will rebuild, and I also want to help you rebuild. Wayne Enterprises is still here and we’re going to do whatever it is we need to to heal Gotham and fix some of the problems that have plagued it for a very long time”.

“Mr Wayne! Mr. Wayne! Is there anything you’d like to say to Batwoman?”

They didn’t give him a chance to even breath. As soon as he answered their first question, they immediately posed another. This one though, he was much happier to answer. 

He quietly squeezes Harleen’s hand, letting her know that this was for her.

“Batwoman is a hero. A hero that this city needs. I think, no...I know, that she represents all that makes Gotham good. What makes it worth preserving. We all owe her so much”. He resists the urge to turn and smile at Harleen, knowing that that would be circumspect, but both desperately wanted to kiss one another at that moment. 

“Should I be jealous puddin’?”

That was her in.

He turns and smiles at her, a wide and open smile that hides nothing. Neither do his eyes she noticed, which used to be pools of deep mystery when she first met him. “Not in the slightest”.

With that she leans in and kisses him right then and there, causing the press to go wild and the cameras to start flashing. Undoubtedly the gossip columns would go wild and many socialite women would be pulling their hair out at just how effectively the “peasant” doctor had swooped in and stole their quarry right out from under them.

As the interview ends and the screen pans back in on Vicki Vale, she blushes and smiles. “Lucky lady. Wish I would’ve gotten a shot”. She quickly realizes that she said that on live television, and turns to smile coyly at the camera. 

“Anyways. In other news, the madman now who calls himself the Joker was also apprehended by the Batman and his group of vigilantes last night, with no loss of life. The self styled “Clown Prince of Crime” had nothing to say when he was brought into the holding cell designed for the most dangerous of Gotham’s criminals. Instead he kept lau…”

**_Wayne Manor_ **

Alfred turns off the television, though nobody noticed, enraptured as they were in the festivities. A large Douglas fir dominated the center of the room, decorated in all of the traditional Wayne family garb. Christmas balls with scenes out of a snowy and distant pass, garland of the most vibrant and beautiful of colors, and all topped by a beautiful golden star.

“Everything okay handsome?”

“Ohh yes, quite Elise. Quite”.

He wanted to tell her that everything was more than fine, especially as he looked out the livingroom with the assortment of close friends, no, family, all clustered around, each having an animated conversation with one another.

Bruce was on the couch talking to Vic who was on a recliner next to it, while Harleen sat on the other end of the couch Bruce was, talking to Pamela and Dinah. Jason and Barbara were on the floor, playing with a toy car and Barbara’s barbie doll she’d received from Selina Kyle.

All was right in his world.

“Cookies are done!”

Except that.

“Ohh my word! I’ll get them! They’ll burn…” the man says, beginning to move towards the kitchen, wanting to rush off until he’s stopped by Elise. “Easy their limey. No need to rush I got them” she teases as she indeed shows him the serving tray of cookies she had in her hand. 

“Ohh...well...thank you”.

He seemed a little put out, not liking how it appeared to anyone watching that he was “behind” things. 

“Perhaps I shall make sure that the egg nog is properly chilled”.

“Already did it. Adult beverages just waiting for me to put the cookie tray down so I can go back and get them. Ohh and two glasses of milk for Jason and Barbara”.

He deflated even further as she walked away and placed the serving tray on the table. Everyone looked up and thanked her before returning to what they were doing. “Well...since you seem to have taken care of everything” he huffs when she returns to his side.

She just smiles at him serenely. “Aww is handsome upset?”

“No”.

“Well if it makes you feel better, there is one chore you haven’t taken care of” the older blonde woman teases. “Yes?”

She just gestures upwards with her eyebrows and a glance, causing the man momentary confusion until he follows her gaze to the upper beam of the doorway directly above them. Hanging there was a mistletoe.

That was something the entire room indeed noticed.

“Uhh ohh Alfred! My mama’s got a genuine excuse to kiss ya now!”

“Way to go Alfred!” Pamela chimes in while Dinah puts her fingers in her mouth and whistles loudly. 

Bruce and Vic both look over at him with self satisfied grins on their faces, while Barbara giggles and Jason laughs. 

  
“Ohh blast...well, very well. It is tradition”.

The distinguished man leans in and gently pecks the woman on her lips, lingering for only a second and not even a little bit more. Elise wasn’t having it though, and she rolls her eyes before wrapping her arm about his shoulder.

“You call that a Christmas kiss? Come here Jeeves”.

She moves onto her tip toes and plants a much more passionate kiss right on his lips, causing the man to blush wildly with his eyes wide open as she pushes him back against the door frame. The cheers from the room only get louder and louder, with an especially enthusiastic “Go Alfred!” from Pamela.

Slowly he kisses back, enjoying Elise’s fragrance and indeed how she tasted. His hands go to her waist, very respectfully, and hold her against him. When they release, he wasn’t the only one who was blushing, and Elise lays her head on his shoulder while she catches her breath. “Now THAT is a Christmas kiss”.

With his hands still on her, Alfred couldn’t help but agree. “Indeed”.

The room slowly goes back to normal, with Alfred going to the kitchen to retrieve everyone’s drink, and a very self satisfied Elise coming back to the couches to sit. Harleen teases her and lightly swats her thigh. “What?”

“For embarrassing and teasing that poor man so much”.

“Ahh you know he loves it”.

Across the room Vic and Bruce had settled back into their conversation. “You’re telling me that you honestly believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t I? If you look hard enough the pieces all fit together”.

“Come on Vic”.

“Seriously. Think of the shelf life. Ninety nine years. How else could they have that kind of shelf life if they aren’t made of at least sixty percent plastic. It’s a bread based product Bruce. Bread molds, even with preservatives and sugar”.

“Hmm...that is a fair point”.

A figure interrupts their conversation, and Harvey Dent, the newly elected mayor of Gotham City, was standing there.   
  
“Hey Bruce” he begins with a smile on his face that falls slightly as he moves in closer. “Can we talk for a minute?”

He knew this was coming, and part of him seriously dreaded it. “Sure, sure. No problem Harvey. Vic...I hope you’re insane”.

The redhead just shrugs and remains in his seat. “Think of the consequences if I’m not”.

Bruce had to admit that that was a very frightening though. He turns to Harley and takes her hand, rubbing it gently before bringing it to his lips and kissing it. “I’ve gotta talk to Harvey sweetie. I’ll be right back”.

“Okay puddin’. Everything alright? Need me along?”

“No, no. I..well, we both know what it’s about but I’ll handle it”.

She smiles gently at him and nods. “Alright but just call me if you need me okay?”

“I will”.

He stands up and moves around Barbara and Jason who had moved along the rug in a mock police chase, with Jason’s car chasing after Barbara’s horse carried doll. “Weewoo weewooo” Jason calls out, though Bruce knew it was more for Barbara’s benefit than anyone else’s. “You two behave okay? You know whose watching”.

“We will papa Bruce” they both echo out, being too focused on their game of make believe to put too much immediate care into the fact of Santa Claus watching them.   
  
Bruce moves onwards as Harvey waits in the drawing room which was just outside of their center of festivities. Bruce turns and gives one last look at the group assembled and smiles wide, closing the door so that Harvey and his conversation wouldn’t intrude upon their world, which was, for the moment, perfect.

“When is the due date by the way?” Pamela asks.

“Well not too sure but I’m guess September for right now”.

“No way! Really? Me too”.

“Ohh no, two hospital visits” the green skinned woman says with a smirk, actually ecstatic at the fact of her two best friends being expectant mothers. 

“Uhhmm. When is Harvey gonna put an ole potted plant in the yard so to speak?” Dinah asks suggestively.

“Dinah! We’re not even married yet”.

“Ohh sorry. Hey Harleen did you know that you need to have a ring on your finger in order to have a baby? I had no idea” Dinah teases Harleen who both laugh uproariously. 

Pamela just blushes, not liking how they teamed up on her. 

“It’s not fair. Two blondes against one redhead”.

**_Just Outside_ **

“I uhh...I think we both know what this is about?”

“We do” Bruce nods, at least giving the man a little comfort in knowing that his friend wasn’t going to try and deny everything.

“Bruce...Jesus Christ I can’t believe you’re doing this” the mayor says pacing as he stops to look at his friend who hadn’t moved. “Actually, scratch that. I can believe it. All of it but Bruce...I want you to know as Mayor? I can’t cover you”.

“I know Harvey. All I’m asking you to do is keep my secret…”.

“Of course I’ll keep your secret dumbass. Not what I’m talking about” he says before calming down a bit. “What I’m saying is...I can’t cover you. For example, I wont be denying your existence and I wont say that you did or did not have a part in something if I know directly to the contrary”.

Bruce nods, wanting to let the man know that he could finish what he had to say. 

“Alright? So I wont lie but...I will stretch some things. My office will provide assistance, minimal!” he stresses with a hand in the air. “Assistance. We wont deputize you and Harleen in case that’s what you’re asking. Basically what I’m saying is, I wont be openly helping you but from time to time I’ll turn a blind eye or...maybe drop something important. It’s been known to happen”.

Bruce smiles and nods. “Of course. Happens to the best of us. Let’s keep this simply Harvey. We both work for the city. That’s all it is”.

“Right, right. You’re right of course. Just doing work for the city”.

Harvey puts his hand out, glad that all of this had passed easily. He didn’t want a long protracted conversation or argument about lines and limits. He just had to trust Bruce.

Bruce takes the hand and shakes it firmly. 

“Is that everything Harvey?”

“No. I’m gonna propose to Pam tonight”.

As soon as he releases his hand, Harvey reaches into his jacket and retracts a ring box, showcasing it to the man who half smiled and half grimaced. “Congratulations Harv. I’m ecstatic for the both of you honestly”.

The man regarded him quizzically. 

“Then why do you look like you’re on your way to a root canal?”  
  


Bruce sighs and looks around as if Harleen was around the corner before he leans in and whispers to Harvey. “I was going to propose to Harleen too. When Alfred brings out the cheese tray, there is a special gift for her. She told me something about swiss cheese a while ago and I thought it would be a good time”.

“Shit...can we both do it? Is that okay?”

Before the man can be answered, the door to the living room opens and Vic slips out, closing the door behind him and rushing up to the two men. He looked horribly nervous, and he was sweating horribly.   
  


“Woah, woah Vic” Bruce says, placing his hands on the man’s shoulder while Harvey does the same to his other side. “Hold your horses bud. Where’s the fire”.

“Inside” Vic says before shaking his head. “Ohh God, I...I...I’m so nervous. I’m practically shaking. I had to get out of there or she’d notice”.

“Hold on, hold on who would notice?” Harvey asks.

“Dinah!” he snaps before quieting down and peering over his shoulder, hoping that his shout hadn’t drawn any attention from the other room. “Dinah” he repeats in a whisper as he turns back to his two friends. 

“Okay...what about her?”

Bruce had never seen the man this flummoxed, and he was shocked that the calm and collected Vic Sage was sweaty and nervous, acting as if he was a man being hunted.

“I...I…”.

He stops and reaches into his coat, pulling out another ring box. “I’m gonna ask Dinah to marry me”.

Both men stop and look at each other, their mouths open in shock as they didn’t know what to say. “What? Something wrong? Ohh god, did she say something?” Vic asks, his conspiratorial mind clicking once again. Harvey sighs and shows the man his own ring box, the one he’d hid behind his back when the redhead burst through the door. “Ohh...ohh. You’re going to propose to Pam? Congratulations Harvey. I’m sorry I...wouldn’t have planned this if I’d known”.

“It’s okay. I did the same thing apparently” Harvey remarks dryly.

“What do you mean?”

Harvey just looks at Bruce as the man pinches the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I’m doing the same thing with Harley”

“So...all three of us planned to do this at the exact same time?” Vic asks exasperatedly. “I guess so. I wish I could say great minds think a like but all I see here are three idiots. They’re gonna kill us” Harvey says, once more pacing though the reason for his nervousness was much different this time around. 

“Hold on, hold on, let’s not worry too much huh? I mean...would they be mad?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think Harleen would be mad. She might find it cute if anything” Bruce says. Harvey shakes his head no, pinching his chin and looking at the ground in frustration. “No, no” he admits with a breathy sigh. “Pam is anything but traditional so she wouldn’t mind either way”.

“Dinah is the opposite all of the sudden. Ever since she found out she was pregnant and that I wasn’t leaving her she’s been insistent about us tying the knot. I’ve been trying to get everything together and save enough to buy a ring but I feel the same. The sooner the better. Don’t want my child born out of wedlock”.

“Alright, alright. So...yeah. No big deal. Hell, it might be better to have the three of us walking into the lion’s den together huh?” Harvey asks, placing an arm around each of the other two men’s shoulder. “Yeah, good way to look at it” Bruce says, feeling as if his own spirits had been piqued. Vic nods too, some of his nerves evaporating.

“We can do this. Come on. You two are superheroes and I’m a mayor. We’ve faced down worse”.

A door down the hallway opens and Alfred peaks his head out to look down at the three men assembled there. “I am bringing out the cheese Master Bruce”.

It was obviously the codeword for the beginning of Bruce’s plan, but before any of them could say anything Alfred was gone, and their nervousness was back.

Vic makes the sign of the cross quickly, while Harvey takes out the stress ball he’d taken to carrying with him. Bruce just takes deep breathes. 

“Alright. Let’s go”.

He steps forward and goes to the door, opening it and letting some light shine out of the living room and back into the drawing room. He is flanked immediately by Vic and Harvey, each having a childish fear of being left alone all of the sudden.

Bruce immediately looks at Harleen and can’t help but instantly feel his fear evaporate. 

She was laughing, happily and openly while bouncing Barbara in her lap, the two children having taken the spots on the couch that Bruce had vacated. He knew this was the right thing to do, and looking at their respective women the other’s did as well.

Alfred walks in in front of Elise, carrying the tray of cheese. “Ms. Quinzel, the cheese is served”.

“Ohh thank you Alfred! Best part of these get togethers I’m telling you” she jokes to Pamela beside her before turning to Barbara. “Want some cheese my little mouse? Huh? Squeak squeak”. She pinches Barbara’s cheek lightly, causing her to laugh and giggle. 

The blonde turns back towards the tray and sees the little square box there, a note tag attached that simply says Harleen.

Bruce steps forward first and kneels in front of her on the couch, causing her a look of instant confusion. He feels as if his throat had suddenly become dry, and he gently takes her hand in one of his while reaching for the box. He opens it, and shows her the ring, a 24 carat gold ring with a beautiful diamond atop it.

“Harleen Quinzel….will you marry me?”

She gasps, knowing what she wanted to say though she wasn’t able to get the right words out. She looks at Pam and Dinah, the shock and joy for her written on their faces as well. Confusion reigns a second later though, as Harvey and Vic both move in front of their respective lovers, putting the same look on their faces as was on Harleen’s face.

“Pam...I love you. So much, and with my stroke of luck going pretty strong, I wanted to see if I could win the jackpot of all jackpots. Will you marry me?”

He takes the green woman’s hand in his own and showcases his choice of ring for her just as Bruce had. It was less impressive of course but it was still quite beautiful. 

Vic took Dinah’s hand and caressed her knuckles before looking up at her directly, staring into her eyes. “Dinah Lance. I want you to know that...when I look at you I see the future and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’d like your permission to spend the rest of my life beside you”.

Everyone was absolutely stunned, including Alfred and Elise who had each only expected Bruce to propose tonight. 

Harleen was the first to recover, though she looks at an eagerly rocking back and forth Barbara first. “What do you say Barbara? Should I say yes?”

She nods eagerly, reminding Harleen of a chipmunk shaking their head. 

“Jason?”

The little boy looks back and forth between the two people he already considered his parents, and his decision doesn’t take long. He just nods his head yes, a serene smile on his face. 

She turns back to Bruce and begins to cry, happy tears leaking down the side of her cheeks as she caresses his hand. “I also say vote yes so that’s three to zero. Yes wins”.

Bruce slowly retracts the ring and slips it onto Harleen’s finger, not wasting a second as he moves up to capture her lips in his own as soon as it touches the base. She wraps her arms about the man, practically throwing herself at him though he eagerly held onto her.

She releases his lips, only to press her forehead against his. “My puddin’”.

Elise was crying, and leaning on Alfred who hugs her close to him while providing a tissue. His attention is rapidly turned to Harvey and Pamela, who had each taken a moment from their own martial deliberation to focus on Bruce and Harley. But now that those two were trying to get as close to one another as possible…

Pamela turns back to Harvey and nods, unable to say the word. He didn’t need it, as he already understood. He slips the ring onto her finger as gently and quickly as he could. He moves up onto the couch and kisses her softly, his hand running through her hair as he does. 

She returns it eagerly, not caring a single bit about the burn on his face. She refused to let him wear the mask, telling him that he didn’t and shouldn’t be ashamed and instead should wear the scars like a badge of honor. As it was, because of her treatment, they looked much less raw than they first had. They’d always be there, but then again, so would she.

“Does this make you Mr. Pamela Isley?”

“Ha ha. No. It makes you mine” he whispers in her ear, causing an involuntary chill that had nothing to do with the cold outside to run up her back. He kisses her lips again, and she wraps her hand around the back of his head to ensure he wouldn’t go anywhere until she had her fill.

Dinah was the last one, and she looked at Vic with the widest smile possible on her eyes. She quickly leans forward, grabs both sides of his face and kisses him excitedly, causing the man to wobble from his still kneeling position on the floor.

She releases him, though only to continue peppering his face which now had a wide dopey smile on it. He places his arm around her waist, crushing her to him as she reaches down and takes the ring, placing it on her own hand in direct contradiction of tradition.

“Yes! Yes! Yes babydoll! Yes!”

She couldn’t say anything else, and Vic found that hilarious as he tries to silence her with yet another passionate kiss. She moves onto him as close as possible, banishing all the men’s fears as each of them were lost in one another.

“He asked me for permission you know?”

“Did he?” Alfred asks the woman.

“Uhhmm. I told him yes obviously, that I would be damn proud to have him marry my daughter. I also told him that he had to since his baby was inside her and that if he didn’t I’d neuter him with my shotgun sooooo...yeah”.

Alfred looks down in shock at the woman who was lewd and crass, in many ways the exact opposite with him. The shocked look moves away, and he just shakes his head in laughter before moving to capture the woman’s lips in his own.

She lets out an “eep” of surprise, though quickly returns it.

It’s over as soon as it had begun, and Alfred keeps his arm about her. “You are quite the woman Ms. Quinzel”.

“Ohh Alfred sweetie...you have no idea”.

The two lean against each other and continue to watch the happy couples celebrate, though for Bruce and Harleen Jason and Barbara were added to the group hug, all happy at being together with one another.

**_Arkham Asylum_ **

He was bruised, battered and most importantly beaten. The prison doctors had done everything they could though, and his smile was back in order.

He licks his lips across his teeth, smiling wide at them being back in place. “Thank God I still have my pearrrrly whites!” he chuckles to himself harshly, rocking back and forth in the padded cell they’d kept him in.

He was facing the wall, which was also padded, and letting his head rest against it. It was true. He’d lost in the strictest sense of the world. He’d been thrown in the highest security cell, in the highest security wing of Arkham.

From here? There was no escape.

He wasn’t sure what had happened to Dick, but at that moment? It didn’t really matter. He’d get out and collect the boy..eventually. They always slipped up. All of them.

“Hehehe except you my dear. Except you”.

He was speaking to a drawing he’s managed to make by wedging one of the rear steel clips of the straitjacket he wore against the cushioning of the wall. It had taken him hours but eventually he’d gotten it right.

“Ohh you did come that night Harley. You did. You did. You did. You feel it right? I know. I looked into your eyes. Your delicious...bat eyes!” he says before descending into yet more chuckling. “You are so much more than just a toy now. I see it Harley. I see it. You and I? Ohh..we’re destined! He wont make you happy. That big bad bat”.

He slams his forehead against the padding as harshly as he could, loving how it felt to feel anything at that moment.

“Pffft...no. No. He wont due for you. He’s boring. You? You deserve a guy who can make you laugh. Someone who can really make your life as fun as it deserves to be! And hey! We’ve already got a family going. Ohh don’t worry Harley baby. Don’t worry” he says as he moves to his feet and stares at the bed.

“Your secret is safe with me. Trust me it. It is. Ohh what’s under that mask? It’s for me and me alone...a wedding veil! Hehahahahahahah”.

He moves onto the bed, resting against the pillow and looking at the ceiling, his smirk refusing to fall away. “Ohh merry Christmas my sweet sweet Harleen. I’ll dream up an amazing present for you one of these years! Ohh that I promise”.

“It’ll make alllll of Gotham just scream in jealousy”.

His laughter grows at that, and indeed keeps growing until he is out of breath and is forced to stop. His plans for the future would have to wait, for these iron bars held him locked up tight.

For now.

After all, iron rusts.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

“A toast! To Bruce and Harleen Wayne”.

The entire group takes up Harvey’s toast and each raise their glasses of eggnog, though it was milk in Jason and Barbara’s case. 

Bruce smiles and stands, Harleen still glued to his side as she had been since he proposed. She kept looking down at her finger, admiring the diamond that rested their. Bruce smiles and looks down at her, kissing her lips one final time before turning back to the assembled group.

“This has been...an eventful year”.

“You can say that again”.

Vic was seated on the couch, and Dinah was draped over him like a blanket, refusing to be even a centimeter away from her fiancee and the father of her child. Pamela was much more reserved, though she remained side by side with Harvey, a united front.

“Through the year...I’ve learned a few things. One of which was that I was wrong” Bruce begins. “When I started this crusade, I was convinced that I needed to do it alone. That attachments and people would just get in the way. I was sure this was the right way to go”. 

He looks back at Harley as he speaks his next sentence. 

“I was wrong. I met someone who told me without even speaking what an idiot I was to believe that. Family, friends, they aren’t weaknesses. They’re strengths, and though it hasn’t been the longest time that we’ve worked together, laughed together, and suffered together, I already see you as my family. My strength, and our collective strength stems from one another and I feel we can truly make a difference in this city if we work together”.

He smiles to himself and nods, content in the sincerity of his own words.

“We can truly be a beacon of hope for this city we love. A city that oftentimes feels hopeless”. He looks at Barbara and Jason, each looking up at him with nothing but love and trust in their eyes. “I want a better world for my children..and I’m not going to get that by being the lone ranger. So...Harleen and I discussed it and...we’d like to extend and invitation to the future Mr. and Mrs. Sage” he says, raising his glass to the couple.

“My future mother in law Ms. Quinzel”.

Elise flashes Bruce a thumbs up from her position by the Christmas tree and fireplace.

“And Mayor Dent, and his lovely fiancee whom I already see as the sister I never had”.

Pamela blushes and Harvey rubs her shoulder, kissing her cheek.

“To stay with us here at the Manor, though don’t worry Harvey I already know you and Pam are moving into the Mayoral Mansion so this is more symbolic for you, but you’re welcome here anytime you want or need the space”.

  
Dinah, Vic and Elise were shocked, though Bruce continued. 

“Of course, I’d provide jobs and a salary as a cover for your real purpose of being here. All sorts of perks to having a rich friend and benefactor” he says, moving his hand up and down Harleen’s back.   
  
“Bruce…” Dinah begins, both her and Vic being embarrassed at how tempted they were by the offer. “That’s generous but…”.

“But what blondie?” Harleen teases.

“We..we can’t do that. We would be taking advantage of you if we did” Vic says, taking his fiancee’s hand in his own. “No you wouldn’t”.

“For a long time, I’ve lived an insulated life, without people around me. Alfred is great but sometimes a person needs a bit more. Think of it as...a symbiotic relationship. You get paid to do light work, and I get your company”.

Harleen urges Dinah on with her eyes, loving the thought of having her friends over at the manor. She already knew what her mother was going to say though.

“I’m in Bruce!” Elise says, giving Alfred a wink. “Only conditions are that you put me on as a housekeeper and I get a sexy little outfit for this handsome devil to see me in”.

“Mama...I’m gonna get a spray bottle. Stop teasing Alfred”.

Elise rolls her eyes and hugs Alfred close. “He loves it!”.

He couldn’t help himself as he lightly nods, indeed finding the woman’s very nature utterly infectious. “Well, that’s one of your staff members down” Pamela teases. “What do you two think?”

It was clear that they were still on the fence, and both of them looked at each other intently, trying to discern what they should say. Vic turns and looks at Bruce. “Alright, but we’ll pay rent”.

“Already included in your payment for working here. Don’t even think about giving me any more money” the man says, watching their defenses slowly cave in. Vic turns back to Dinah and shrugs, not sure of how to counter that. Dinah turns rapidly, having come up with her counter offer already.

“We’ll work Monday through Saturday, seven to ten, seeing as we’d be living here” she says.

“You have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off completely and you’ll only work nine to four” Harleen says, enjoying the back and forth immensely as it was the first time in forever that she’d felt like she had power.

The two look at each other one final time and realize that they aren’t giving any ground to them. “Do we have access to the cave?” they ask, dropping all pretense as to what this was really about.

“The cave and Wayne Enterprises should you need it”.

Dinah smiles widely and turns to Vic, nodding while she rubs his chest. “Bruce...this is all beyond generous. We’ll never be able to repay you”.

“Your friendship is enough Vic. So, tell me. Do you guys accept the position of driver and nanny here at Wayne Manor?” he asks, looking at Vic and Dinah respectively. 

Dinah nods at Vic before the man gets up and walks towards Bruce. He extends his hand, which the other man eagerly takes in his own. “We do Mr. Wayne. Thank you”.

“Ya hear that cutie? Looks like I’m here for you to boss around now. I hope you’re not a mean boss” Elise says to Alfred.

Bruce just continues to shake Vic’s hand, smiling intently at the man while Jason and Barbara move around them. The two men drop their grip on one another, everyone feeling as if something monumental had just happened.

“Welcome to my world” Bruce says. Everyone found it odd considering that most of them were already vigilantes, though it quickly sinks in what he really meant.

Bruce had let them in.

**_Cavallero’s Italian Restaurant, Downtown Gotham_ **

It was cold outside, and the snow was still falling. Renee had a good view of it from her position seated by the window, and the presence of the snow only made her happier that she was inside.

Everything had gone well, or at least as well as it could be expected to go following the disastrous events of the past few days. She had gotten surprisingly good at damage control, and as of now the GCPD was slowly rooting through its officers to see who was worth keeping and who wasn’t.

It was a thankless task that she left to Harvey Bullock, and with good reason.

He already knew who the bad apples were.

But aside from that, her time had been spent in the office and not on the street. It was boring and dreary, but she’d gotten a lot done, which was why she decided to reward herself with a night off. 

A night off she fully intended to take advantage of.

She looks down at her watch and checks the time before laying her hand back down on the table and looking about the restaurant. There was nothing really to keep her attention, so she turns inward, checking to see if the dress she had picked was good enough for the eighth time.

She normally didn’t wear dresses, but this was a special occasion. She sighs to herself and tries to use the glass of the front facing window as a mirror to check on herself. She smoothes out the fabric over her thighs before checking to see if anyone was watching her, to fix and reposition her rather large chest.

  
She had chosen this red ensemble with the plunging neckline in an attempt to draw attention to it, though she hoped it didn’t come off as slutty. ‘Seductive! Not slutty. Dammit, such a fine line to walk’.

“Heya gorgeous”.

The voice broke out from her side and she turns to see a face she didn’t ever expect to see again, nor that she wanted to ever see again. 

Kathy Kane was standing there next to her table, awkwardly holding her purse in front of her and swaying as she smiled down at the hispanic woman. Renee felt her heart turn to stone and she doesn’t bother to respond.

The redhead was getting increasingly uncomfortable, and it showed on her face. Renee hated that she still knew the minor tells. 

“This seat taken?” Kathy asks, gesturing to the open seat across from Montoya. It was an obvious effort to turn the conversation away from where it had started, notably with Kathy speaking and getting nothing in return. 

Her hand moves over the backrest of the chair, an urge to just sit down overtaking her.

“Not yet. I’m expecting someone”.

“Ohh”.

Montoya took pleasure in how her former lover’s face fell at her words. “Renee...can we talk?”

“How did you know I was going to be here?” the commissioner interjects, cutting the woman off. 

“I didn’t. I was just here. We used to come here a lot” Kathy says, taking the seat anyways. Renee doesn’t say anything, being so angry that she wasn’t sure it would come out right when she did say it. “I’ve been thinking about you...a lot and well…”.

She looks around with a smile on her face. “This is where we shared our first kiss. Remember?”

“I do”.

Renee was looking out the window when Kathy spoke, trying to avoid even looking at the redhead who’d caused her so much pain. But what she sees instantly puts her in a brighter mood.

She tracks the woman’s movements until she disappears at the door, and only the sound of the bell and the maitre’ de’s voice guiding the new guest let Renee know that she had entered the restaurant. 

“I know I hurt you Renee. I know I did and I’m sorry. I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since but you’ve gotta understand. What Maggie and I had? It was nothing I promise. Just...a mistake that happened. It shouldn’t have and I’m sorry”.

Kathy slowly reaches across the table and places her hand over Renee’s. “I’m just asking for another chance. I’ll make you the happiest woman whose ever lived. I promise”.

Renee was scowling, about to remove her hand out from under her ex’s when a voice from beside the table speaks.

“I request that you take your hand off of my date”.

Kathy looks up to see the scowling visage of one Tatsu Yamashiro, who looked disdainful of her very presence despite her polite mannerisms.   
  


Kathy was ready to fight.

“And who the hell are you?”

“I am Ms. Montoya’s date. I ask that you cease bothering her”.

Kathy looks back helplessly at Renee, who responds by crossing her arms over her breasts and gesturing her head to the side, a direct order for her to leave.   
  
Without another word, Kathy gets up and rushes away, having been utterly embarrassed by the samurai’s entrance. Tatsu watches with a self satisfied smirk just tugging at the furthest corner of her lips. Renee however, couldn’t take her eyes off of Tatsu.

She wore a form fitting dress that was definitely part of her baggage from japan. It was dress with a mandarin collar, a red sash about her waist. Her arms were bare and the coat she undoubtedly had to wear was folded over her arm. The dress she wore was red in color and was stylized with numerous dragons fighting over the fabric, each clutching swords of their own.

“Are you not going to hold out my chair for me?”

Renee blushes and stands, acting quickly to try and salvage her manners, as she moves around to the other side of the table and pulls out the chair that Kathy had just vacated. “I’m so sorry. Eres tan hermosa...I…”.

  
Tatsu just smiles and moves towards the chair, patting the woman’s cheek and making her blush while she sat down.

Renee pushes the chair in for her and moves back to her own seat, unsure of what to say. “May I ask who that was?” Tatsu says, some of her stoicism breaking and revealing her inner fire. ‘Is she...jealous?’

Renee found the thought instantly appealing.

“Nobody...nobody at all. Just an ex” Renee says dismissively, wanting to assure the woman that there was no reason for jealousy.

“Ahh. Then she is foolish. To do something to lose the affections of a lover as beautiful as yourself”. 

Montoya blushes a deep crimson red that she was sure was visible despite the hue of her skin. It was then that she noticies Tatsu checking her out. The subtle movements gave it away, and she moved over her face, arms and then settled on her chest which was obviously hard for Tatsu to avoid.

The Japanese woman notices that she’s been caught however, and blushes as well. Against her pale skin, it was much more visible and Renee found that she wanted to make the woman blush even more. “I...I’m afraid I must apologize. I did not mean to be rude…”.

“Shh”.

Renee reaches across the table and places her hand over Tatsu’s, making the woman gulp in nervousness. It was clear at that moment that Tatsu was anything but the tough as nails samurai she normally was.

“If I didn’t want you to look...I wouldn’t have worn the dress”.

Tatsu smiles gently and nods, though it isn’t long until the two fall into very easy and enjoyable conversation, the horror of the past few days behind Renee receding in the wake of the pleasurable tones of Tatsu Yamashiro’s voice.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER FOR THIS PART OF THE STORY! Thank you all soooo much for sticking with this and me! Honestly, writing this has been my major perogative for the better part of three months. I sure enjoyed writing it, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. There is more to come, but that, is for another time in Gotham city. ;)

**_One Month Later, Gotham City, St. Dumas Church_ **

Harley was sitting in front of the mirror, looking over herself with her hands crossed in her lap. She was trying to remain calm, wanting to remember her breathing exercises to the best of her ability, but still managing to fail.

“Harleen?”

The knock on the door was a welcome distraction for the moment. “Come in mama”. Elise opens the door and steps into the little room set aside for the exact needs of nervous brides. Elise was wearing a red dress that neaty, but conservatively, hugged her curves.

Harleen turns and smiles, looking up at the woman. “Mama. You look beautiful”.

“Not as absolutely gorgeous as you do my little munchkin”. 

The older blonde moves forward and sweeps the girl up in her arms, kissing her cheek before moving her hand to the side of her face. “Thank you mama”.

Harleen was wearing a rather plain wedding dress in comparison to what many other women who were marrying the richest man in Gotham might want to wear. It was a simple sleeve dress with straps made of comfortable lace.

Elise just kept caressing her daughter while looking deeply into her eyes. “You okay sweetie?”

“Yeah..just, nervous I guess”.

Elise smiles wide at that. “You should see Bruce. Pacing up there like a wild animal. Harvey is barely able to keep him at the altar. He keeps trying to get back here to you”.

Harleen laughs to herself, blushing deeply as it sinks in just what today means. She would no longer be Harleen Quinzel, but Harleen Wayne. That in itself was a big change, though if she looked closer she might realize that it wasn’t too much. 

“Alfred too. Ever since you three girls made that pact and asked him to walk each of you down the aisle he’s been on edge”.

“We didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable!” Harleen defends herself, feeling horrified that she might have offended the old man she looked at as a father. After the plans for each of their individual weddings had been put down, Ivy, Harleen and Dinah each asked the beloved butler to walk them down the aisle on their respective days. 

He had agreed, and at the time there was not a single hint of him being unhappy with such an honor. ‘I’m sorry Alfred’.

“Ohh sweetie! No, stop. Your nerves are messing up that beautiful mind of yours. No. He’s nervous because he doesn’t want to mess it up. He thinks the world of you three and you darn well know that”.

“First time I’ve ever heard you not go for a curse when there was an opportunity” Harleen says. “Well we’re in a church. Figured I should at least give the big man the respect he deserves on my daughter’s big day”. Elise hugs Harleen one last time before her wedding, and smiles wide. “I’m so proud of you little girl. Never forget that”.

“Thank you mama. I love you”.

“I love you too. Now. I better get out there. After all, my daughter is getting married”.

She lets go of the younger woman and exits through the door, heading back into the church after closing it behind her. Harleen sits back down, alone with her thoughts which were now of a much less chaotic nature. This was one of the best day’s of her life, and she wasn’t going to let nerves get the better of her.

She looks in the mirror one more time, and the image that her mind creates for her in its glass is one that gives her the greatest comfort.

She sees Batwoman looking back at her. Determined and strong, hopeful and honest. “You can do this Harleen. Get out there and marry the crap out of Bruce”.

“Ms. Quinzel? Are you ready? The ceremony is about to take place but if you need another moment..”.

She moves to the door, but not before securing her veil over her head and grabbing her bouquet of flowers. She then reaches for the doorknob and opens the door, exiting into the church vestibule. “No Alfred. I’m more than ready”.

Her smile, even from under the veil was dazzling. Alfred felt overwhelmed by her beauty at the moment and smiles, offering the woman his arm. She loops her own through it, enjoying the private time she had with the butler as they walk to the main entrance into the inner part of the old stone building.

“You look like an angel Ms. Quinzel”.

“Wayne” Harleen says. She turns to smile up at the man. “I’ll never get you to call me Harleen. I’ve given up on that. So, just call me Mrs. Wayne Alfred”.

“As you wish...Mrs. Wayne”. 

Harleen leans up and pecks his cheek s they stand just outside the doors, right on the precipice of her new life. At the altar she sees Bruce, standing and staring down at her. At first he seemed baffled, but then, he smiles as wide as can be. 

Beside him were Harvey and Vic, acting as best man and groomsmen, while Pamela and Dinah were Harleen’s maid of honor and bridesmaid. They all looked beautiful and perfect to her at that moment, but none more so than Bruce. 

The music begins, and the sound of “Here Comes the Bride” echoes throughout the old building. Alfred slowly begins to walk her forward, allowing the few people they extended an invitation to, to get a good glimpse of the future Mrs. Wayne.

A recovered Doctor Joan Leland sat in one of the rows, crying gently into a hanky as a still heavily bandaged, but handsome in a tuxedo Jerry tries to comfort her. Harleen was more than happy to get him a pass for the day, especially seeing as the wedding would have two of his doctors and a guard there. Doyle himself flanked the man on the opposite side, trying to pretend that he was unaffected by all of this but failing miserably.

Lucius Fox was there, secretly flashing Bruce a thumbs up from his position in the front row. Elise was crying, apparently unable to overcome the sight of her daughter coming down the aisle. She tried to hide it, or at least contain, it but she was doing just as well as Doyle was at hiding his own attachment. 

Barbara, cute as ever before in her little white dress, reaches up to hug her while Jason, dashing and handsome in his little tux, offers his grandmother a hankie. She gladly takes it and returns her eyes to the proceedings.

Harleen felt as if her heart was going to beat out of her chest as she got closer and closer, but she wasn’t going to let her nerves sabotage her. Not today. 

The music finally stops as they finish ascending the last few steps up to the altar, and Alfred offers Harleen up to Bruce symbolically. Bruce gingerly takes her hand, and they settle face to face in front of the altar. He smiles and reaches forward, throwing her veil back up over her head to reveal her face to him.

She had her eyes closed, just trying to savor the moment and all of the sensations it brought with it. Now though, she slowly opens her eyes, and lets them land on Bruce while wrapping her fingers around his hands. He seemed shocked by her beauty, which was exactly what she wanted to happen.

‘He better keep looking at me like that from now to our honeymoon’.

Before they realize it, both are leaning in to kiss each other, though the priest stops them. “Ahh heem” he teases, a twinkle in his eye. “We’re skipping a few steps Mr. and very soon to be Mrs. Wayne”.

The two blush and back up, though their grip on each other’s hands doesn’t diminish at all. All through the priest’s words they keep staring, and it was on automation that Bruce took the ring from Harvey and slowly slipped it onto Harleen’s finger.

“Do you, Bruce Wayne, take Harleen Quinzel to be your lawfully wedded wife. To honor and cherish until death do you part?”

“I do”.

The way he said the words, those most coveted words for so many women, made her heart simply melt. 

“And do you Harleen Quinzel take Bruce Wayne as your lawfully wedded husband, to honor and obey until death do you part?”.

She resisted the urge to make a joke about the “obey” part, but decides against it. Instead she just says the two words that she meant the most in her entire life apart from “I love you” of course.

“I do”.

“Then, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. Now, you may kiss the..”.

Before the priest can finish his sentence, Harleen throws herself forward and wraps her arms about Bruce’s shoulders, while his hands go to her petite waist, crushing their bodies together. Their lips were attached in such a way that many thought they might never separate, and slowly Harleen’s leg lifts backwards, coming out from under the skirt of her wedding dress.

“Awww they look beautiful!” Barbara giggles, clapping her hands. She turns to Jason and smiles innocently. “When we get married one day I hope we look as beautiful”.

The little boy was flummoxed completely, and he didn’t know what to say. “What? Married? Us?”  
  


Barbara doesn’t turn back to face him, merely focused on the couple as they finally release one another, though their foreheads remain touching against one another at the altar. “Uhhmm. It makes sense. We’re already best friends. Why wouldn’t we get married?”

She said it as if it made all the sense in the world, and Jason could only blush and stutter. Elise and Alfred, seated beside the two children, found it utterly amusing, though any commentary they might have was interrupted as the priest turns to the assembled family and smiles wide.

“I am proud to introduce to you Mr and Mrs Wayne. May the lord bless you in all things going forward”.

The two begin to walk back down the aisle, now joined in holy matrimony. They seemed to glow in happiness, though they stop quickly at the first pew to deliver hugs and kisses to their children and Alfred and Elise.

“How’s it feel Mr. Wayne?”

Bruce turns to Harleen as they resume their walk back down the aisle, together as they always planned to be.

“It feels...like...heaven, Mrs. Wayne”.

“Prepare for me to try and keep that feelin’ up for you puddin’” she says, leaning her head on his shoulder before she remembers the bouquet of flowers in her hand. “Uhh ohh. Hold on Bruce. Gotta do onnnne little thing first”.

She turns and smiles at her eager bridesmaids who already knew the score. Dinah and Pamela were already jostling against each other, eager for a good position. “You two ready?”

Ever since the three of them had been proposed to on the same night, they had scheduled their weddings with a bit of humor in mind. They already decided that Harleen would go first, but whoever caught the bouquet from her traditional throwing of it, would be next.

  
“Oww, out of the way greenie. I have a baby to ensure isn’t born out of wedlock”.

“Pfft trust me, you’ll be Mrs. Sage well before the baby gets here. This city needs a mayoress”.

“That’s a honorific title Pam, meaning, it’s useless”.

“Keep telling yourself that Dinah. Keep telling yourself that”.

Harley just smiles and turns around. “Alright girls. Here it goes”.

Vic and Harvey were both watching with apprehension as well, though Alfred was content no matter what it seemed. Harleen lets the bouquet go and it sails through the air from over her back, heading right to the still lightly jostling women.

“It’s mine!”

“No, mine!”

The bouquet hits against them, and both scramble to catch it, giving the appearance that they’d soon be on the floor fighting in a church, something nobody wanted to see.

The fight was quickly settled though, and Dinah emerged the victor. She held the bouquet aloft and swung it wildly at Vic. “I won it for us babydoll! We’re next”.

The shy and reserved conspiracy theorist who now served as the chauffeur of the Wayne family smiled at his fiancee. “That’s great Dinah!”

Pamela just crosses her arms over her chest and grumbles to herself, not liking that she lost to one of her best friends in this regard. Harvey moves up behind her and places his hands on her waist, rubbing gently. “Don’t worry about it babe. They just wanted to save the best for last”. She always lost it when he whispered in her just like so, and though she wasn’t exactly a believer, she still felt uneasy about feeling this way in a church.

“You sure you should be teasing me like that here?” she asks, knowing that Harvey was at least moderately a Christian of some sort.

“If God didn’t want me to flirt with and tease you, he wouldn’t have made you so damn beautiful”.

She nods her head and bites her lip. ‘Ohh yeah. That’s big bad Harv’.

Harleen smiles at her friends good natured rivalry, wondering how she had become the defacto leader of the trio that acted more like sisters now than simply friends.

‘Hmm, probably the bat symbol on my chest’.

“Anything on your mind Harley?”

“Nothing but you puddin’”.

“Hmm”.

The way he grunted this time was much gentler, sweetie than usual. Quiet even. It was clear that he wasn’t just giving a easy noncommittal answer to avoid further conversation on any given subject as it normally was. For the first time, she found his “hmm” cute, and even comforting.

“Funny what buying a bunch of blankets to impress a girl can do huh?”  
  


Bruce just blushes, continuing to move towards the limo parked outside, surrounded by paparazzi.

**_Eight Months Later_ **

“It’s a beautiful day huh Alfred?”

“Ohh yes, quite Master Bruce”.

The two men were standing by the grill that they’d installed on the patio at Wayne Manor. Alfred was eagerly flipping the burgers, trying to accommodate the large amount of food he’d had to get used to cooking in recent times. 

He was much to happy to oblige.

“Sweet tart, our guests want more hot dogs. Extra crispy if you can get them that way” Elise says, walking out onto the patio with a tray of the favored food. “Ahh, I’m assuming Mr. Dent asked for them?”

“You’d be right as usual”.

The woman lays them down on the side of the grill and leans up to kiss the man on the cheek. “Are you sure there isn’t more I can do to help? I’m pretty mean with a spatula myself. You can go and have a beer with the boys”.

“Elise, I must remind you that today is your day off. I am perfectly fine handling the cooking”.

Elise turns to Bruce and rolls her eyes. “Brucie, don’t let my boyfriend work too hard hmm? He’s stubborn as...well, a Brit”.

Alfred smiles to himself and decides to tease the woman further with that comment in mind. “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight with growing confidence in the ai…”.

She quiets him by giving him a hidden swat on the rear before moving away. “Behave yourself smarty pants” she says over her shoulder.

Alfred knew he would never got used to his girlfriend, who never quite lost her playfulness. Bruce just crosses his arms and leans back against the brick wall that separates the patio from the lawn. “I see where Harleen gets it from”.

“Quite. She is a handful but she is a very proficient maid”.

“That’s not all you think of her is it Al?”

“Well..no. She is very proficient in...other ways as well”.

Bruce puts his hand up, stopping the man from going into too much detail. “I get it Al. Trust me. That’s enough for me to know”.

Bruce turns and looks out into the yard, watching as Barbara and Jason play their favorite game, Robin Hood.

They both loved the old Errol Flynn film, The Adventures of Robin Hood. They watched it every chance they could get. It had gotten so repetitive that Harleen had taken to calling them Robin one and Robin two.

“Hey, you two hungry? Alfred has more hot dogs cooking”.

They stop in their rough housing and play to turn to the man who was awaiting their reply. “No thanks dad! We’re good”.

“Same here Papa Bruce!” Barbara calls out, having her own name for the man that didn’t cross out the memory of her biological father. “Alright you two, but don’t roughhouse too hard. Your mom wont like it if you get hurt”.

“We wont!” Jason calls out, right before Barbara tackles him by his midsection, bringing him to the ground and starting yet another rolling around free for all.

Bruce turns back to Alfred and smiles, placing a hand on his shoulder while the man keeps grilling. “I’m gonna go check on Harleen. See if she wants anything”.

“Mother hen”.

Bruce didn’t even deny it as he walked towards the main picnic area, where everyone was assembled at their respective tables eating and conversing.

Harleen looked absolutely radiant, though Dinah did as well. It was an effect that was only magnified by the two being together.

“These two tykes are due any day now, and as much as I love whoever is in there, I want them to come on out already” Harleen teases while Dinah nods, wincing as her back was still rather sore. Both were wearing loose fitting sun dresses, though their protruding bellies tightened the fabric significantly about their midsection.

“Trust me Pam. The so called “joys” of pregnancy? They ain’t all they’re cracked up to be” Dinah teases her green skinned friend. “My boobs are massive, which trust me, is awful”.

“Vic certainly doesn’t mind it does he?” Harleen chimes in, embarrassing the redhead who sat beside his wife.

Dinah seems to be reminded of his presence and glares at him. “This man did this to me. I’ll never let him forget it”.

Vic just takes her hand and rubs it. “I know. I’m awful”.

“I didn’t say that. Vic...please don’t feel that way, I..I didn’t mean it”. The blonde begins to cry and Vic rushes to calm his wife. “No, no sweetie...sorry, sorry I was just joking with you”. He hugs her close and rubs her back lovingly, calming the emotional blonde down as she still sniffles. “I love you”.

“I love you too babydoll. I’m sorry. I’m putting you through hell aren’t I?”

“No more than I deserve”. He reaches out and caresses her cheek, causing her to instantly blush. “I’m really enjoying this punishment too”.

Pamela was looking at the two with thinly veiled, but good natured, jealousy, her own hand going to her belly which remained open for business. Harvey notices and pulls her closer as they sit side by side. “How about we talk about it when we get home?” he asks, a twinkling in his eyes that suggests he’s already on the same page as her. She smiles up at him and nods, surprised that she wasn’t at all deterred by the moaning and whining of her friends.

“Ahh so the emotional instability hit Dinah huh? Lucky. I just got the weird cravings and wild sex drive. If Bruce didn’t go through all the physical training he does, I know I would’ve broken him by now. I’m also killing Alfred with how many pickles I’m making him buy”.

“I’m not emotional” Dinah protests while still laying her head on Vic’s chest. “Shh..it’s okay. You are a little. But it’s natural and fine” he soothes. 

“I bet it made work at the Asylum hard before you went on maternity leave” Pamela says.

“Nah. Being Warden ain’t all that hard. Don’t know why Sharpsie was complaining” she says, lying boldly. Her work was never ending, and even now she was constantly on the phone with her deputy Warden, directing this or that and trying to help.

“Uhhmm”.

Harvey decides to interject with his own line of questioning. “How do Jason and Barbara feel about the baby coming?”

“Ohh, at first Jason was upset. He thought he was going to be replaced believe it or not and he cried and got angry but I sat him right down and told him no matter what that he and Barbara were still my son and daughter and that he’d always be my little boy. So...yeah, I nipped that right in the bud”.

Dinah was now much calmer, and eager to join in on the conversation. “You’re so sweet” she says, wiping a tear away from her cheek. “I love that little duo so much”.

“I know sweetie. And they love their Aunt Dinah…”. 

Harley had made to reach over to pat the woman’s thigh when she stops, mid movement, and looks confused. “Ohh...uhh ohh”.

“Harleen? Harleen what’s wrong…”.

The exact same thing seemed to happen to Dinah as she reached out for her other friend, and both sport equally uncomfortable expressions on their faces. “Dinah? Dinah?” Vic asks.

“Vic...babydoll...my water just broke”.

“Harleen? What’s going on?” Bruce asks, just walking up to the group.

“Puddin...it’s time!”

The men’s eyes go wide and Vic is already rushing to get Dinah to the limo. “Come on sweetie. Hospital now!”

“I thought you didn’t trust hospitals?”

“Don’t have a choice. Let’s go, let’s go Dinah!” the man says, beyond excited. Bruce was in a somewhat similar predicament as he follows behind, holding Harleen’s hands and guiding her as her contractions begin.

“Ohhh…”

“Harleen? What’s wrong?”  
  
“Contractions sweetie” she winces out.

“What? Those...those aren’t supposed to begin yet”. Bruce had turned pale white, and Harleen knew she had to calm him. “It’s okay sweetie. This is...unnf...normal”.

“Mom?” Jason asks, moving up to them worriedly with an equally scared Barbara in tow.   
  
Ivy was quickly on Harleen’s other side, helping Bruce guide the woman to the car. “We have to go Doc. The baby’s coming”.

“Mama is fine my sweeties” she says, trying to comfort the two children. “Your little brother or sister is just really insistent on coming out right now. Probably heard you two playing and wants to join. Don’t worry! We’ll be back with them soon. Mama!”

Elise rushes up, wanting to comfort her daughter as the group moves towards the Wayne family limo, their primary mode of transportation. “Sweetie, ohh god…” she says before wiping Harleen’s sweaty brow. “I’m fine mom. Honest! This is...uggggh...beautiful”.

She was obviously in pain, not able to keep up the facade she wanted to maintain in front of her children for much longer. “Ohh Mrs. Wayne. Please..let me…”.

“Alfred, I’m fine!” she snaps before beginning to cry and apologizing, just before another contraction hits her. She’s lucky to have reached the car at this point, where Dinah was already screaming in pain at her husband who hunkered ever lower and lower in the driver’s seat. “YOU BASTARD! YOU DID THIS TO ME!”

It was a shock that she hadn’t used her sonic scream at this point.

Bruce assists Harleen into the seat before moving in himself, trying to comfort her in any way he could. “Alfred, Elise, watch the kids please” he says before closing the door, wanting to get to Gotham General as quickly as possible.

Alfred places his hands on the two young one’s shoulders, keeping them close and as calm as he could. Elise was a ball of energy, rushing this way and that before moving back to the grill, desperate to do something. “Barbara, Jason! Hot dogs sweeties. Please just, come and eat so I can relax!”.

Harvey, meanwhile, was rubbing Pamela’s back, the woman biting her nails in fear and excitement. “You sure you wanna go through all that?” he asks.

She is about to answer with a definitive no before a clear vision enters her mind. A giggling little girl with her skin, nose and general facial features playing with a teddy bear. The girl turns and smiles upwards at her, exposing the deep chocolate eyes and dark hair of her father. “Mama!” she says, opening and closing her little fingers as she wants the woman to pick her up.

She leans against Harvey and nods. 

“Yes”.

**_Eight Hours Later, Gotham General Hospital_ **

“Almost there Harleen. We’re so close sweetie”.

“AHHHHH IT FUCKING HURTS” she screams out, unable to keep her language PG while sweating and squinting. She was squeezing Bruce’s hand with a mighty force, and he happily allows her. “I know sweetie..I know”.

“YOU HAVE NO CLUE!! AHHHH!”

“One more push Mrs. Wayne. Just one more!” the doctor urges.

Nobody knew who was coming out of Harleen so to speak, as both her and Dinah had asked their doctors not to tell them, wanting it to come as a complete surprise. Now? Everyone was wating with baited breath.

Harleen takes a deep breath and pushes just as the doctor asks, and the man shouts in joy as the baby slips out of Harleen. “We’ve got them! We’ve got them!”

“Ohh that’s...heh...great doc...AHHHH!”

“Harley? Harley what’s wrong?” Bruce asks worriedly. 

She was wide eyed and confused. “WHY DOES IT NOT FEEL LIKE IT’S DONE?!” she screams at him, grabbing the man by his collar and shaking him. The doctor had a quick answer. “Ohh...ohh, THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!” he shouts, jumping back into action as he hands of the sobbing baby to a nurse, having already cut the umbilical cord.

“Harleen...twins. We’re having twins!” Bruce says excitedly.

“Oh, that’s excellent news puddin’” Harleen pants out sarcastically before steeling herself for the final part of her long and almost unbearable journey. ‘You’re Batwoman. Alright! Push out this bat baby like a champ!’

“Almost there Mrs. Wayne. This time I mean it” the doctor says with a wry smile. Harleen glares daggers at him, frightening the veteran more than he imagined was possible with a new mother. “I...I can see the head! They’re crowning!”.

“Harleen, I know you’re mad at me, but, I love you so much and you’ve never been more beautiful than you are right now” Bruce says, caressing her hand which was shaking in his. He was trying to do or say anything that might help the woman who was looking more and more angelic to him as this went on.

“Puddin...I hate you right now, but...I also really, really freakin...UNNNGGGGFF!”

Another baby’s cries are quickly heard, and this time? She knows that it’s over. The doctor snips the umbilical cord and hands the second baby off to a nurse, though both parents were now eagerly trying to get a look. Even Harleen, as exhausted as she was, was attempting to get up to go to them, their cries already tearing at her heart.

“Give me my babies”.

“Hold on Mrs. Wayne. One minute let’s just check you out and make sure…”

“I’m fine. Gimme my babies”.

The doctor was flummoxed, never having quite dealt with a personality like the very popular and beloved Mrs. Wayne. Bruce just smiles, also eager to have the children over with them. “Okay. They’re just being cleaned up right now so let me do the same for you and everything will be okay”.

Harleen bites her tongue, wanting her children in her arms right that second, but she wanted them to be safe too. She lays back down and smiles at Bruce, holding his hand much more gently now. “We did it puddin’”.

“You did it Harleen”.

“Come here”.

“Are you going to kill me?” he teases.

She shakes her head no. “No. Just come here”.

He leans in and she wastes no time in pecking his lips. “I love you. So much Bruce”.

“Harleen...I don’t event think I can put it into words how much I love you”.

The doctor interrupts their tender moment, holding one baby who was now softly crying, while a nurse holds the other, this baby being quiet though fussy as they move their arms about. “Mr and Mrs. Wayne? Your babies are right here” the doctor says, handing one to each parent. 

Harleen sits up ramrod straight, or tries to as her arms wrap about the crying little bundle. “Ohh sweetie...don’t cry” she says, her own tears leaking out at seeing the cute little squinched face. “Mama is here. Mama is always here”.

Bruce takes the other and holds the bundle close to his chest, rocking them gently and looking down with nothing short of wonder in his eyes.   
  
“Well, congratulations Mr. Wayne” the doctor says, pulling off his gloves. “You’re having every father’s worst nightmare”.

That instantly perked Bruce’s ears, and he looks up at the doc with curiosity while Harleen continues to soothe the slowly calming baby.

“Twin girls”.

Harleen gasps and looks at her husband, laughter already on her lips at the deer in headlights look upon the man’s face. She lightly bounces the now soothed baby, who nuzzles into her mother as close as possible. 

Their other baby seemed to already be asleep, cooing out and making little murring noises in Bruce’s arms. “Ohh no sweetie. You’re going to give your daddy heart attacks. Both of you” Harleen laughs.

Bruce looks down at the daughter he held in his arms and leans in to kiss her forehead. “Well, no dating for you...ever”.

The staff look on at this heartwarming scene, knowing that only one matter remained. 

“Now...how about we name these two cuties?”

“Martha Elise Wayne” Harleen says, holding the little girl close in her arms. She looks up at Bruce who looks flabbergasted at first before slowly smiling at the woman’s choice. “I...Harleen…”.

“Shh puddin. Name our little girl whose in your arms right now”.

Bruce tries to focus on that, not wanting to cry at how Harleen had chosen to name their first born daughter after his mother. ‘God...thank you for sending this woman to me’ he thinks before deciding to not stall any longer. “Well….Martha and...Mary. Mary Pamela Wayne”.

Harleen smiles at the choice, indeed loving it. “My little Martha and Mary. Ohh Pamela is going to love that so much Bruce”.

The two proud parents are lost in one another, and their two children who were now looking up at them quizzically with unfocused and untested eyes. “Hello Mary” Bruce begins. “I’m your daddy. I’m so happy to see you sweetie”.

“Martha, my little Martha bear. Ohh such a cutie! Bruce...she has your nose”.

“Mary has your eyes sweetie, and a good amount of peach fuzz already” he says, running his fingers through it. “Huh...red hair”.

“Ohh..”

  
“What’s the matter Harleen?”

“My father had red hair”.

“Ahh…”

“That doesn’t matter at all sweetie. Let’s switch cuties huh?” she says, reaching out and allowing Bruce to take Martha while handing off Mary. Neither objected to the change, and in fact both seemed to be just as interested in the new people holding them as they were the first. Martha reaches out for her daddy, the tiniest little fingers he’d even seen just learning how to move. He gives her his finger, and she eagerly latches on.

Martha however, looks up at her mother and yawns cutely, apparently being tired out by the act of being birthed. 

“Aww my little sleepy Mary. That’s okay sugar. We have a lot of time to get to know each other. You’re kind of stuck with me”. The blonde leans down and kisses her forehead, forgetting the pain she went through to get them there in an instant.

It was worth it.

Each of them cradle their babies in the crook of their arm, reaching out with their free arm to hold each other’s hand.

The Wayne family had just gotten a little bigger.

**_Four Hours Later, Recovery Ward_ **

Harleen couldn’t sleep, even though she knew she should be tired. All she kept thinking about was the nursery back home and how she desperately wanted her babies there where she knew they’d be safe.

Where Batman and Batwoman could easily protect them. Where they were surrounded by family.

They had all come and went, wanting to see her and Bruce and the babies as well as Vic and Dinah. She hadn’t heard anything about her friend, though Elise had teased her that she was going to be in for a shock when it came to her friend. At first she was frightened, but everyone else convinced her that everything was okay.

She was calmed by that. 

  
If Dinah had lost her baby...she wouldn’t know what to do.

Bruce was gone for the moment, having stepped out to check on the babies and possibly grab something to eat from the cafeteria. Harleen couldn’t even think about eating, her feelings of nausea persisting even now.

“Mrs. Wayne?” a voice interrupts from the room’s doorway. “Are you awake?”

“Yeah” she whispers back before looking at the chair where her mother was sleeping. “But my mom isn’t so please be quiet whatever is going on”. Elise was indeed cuddled up in the chair, gently snoring. 

Pamela would be there too if Harvey hadn’t convinced her to give Harleen and Dinah some space.

“Ohh, we just wanted to put Mrs. Sage in with you. Would that be okay?” the orderly asks.

Her eyes widen.

“Of course, of course. Please. Bring her in”.

Without any further words, the bed is wheeled in, being one of those new and highly uncomfortable contraptions that managed to serve as gurney and bed all at the same time.

“Hi Harleen” Dinah says a little weakly, waving from her bed.   
  


“Dinah...what the hell happened? Are you okay? You look like you got hit by a train!” she whispers shocked. 

“I feel like it, but the doctors say I’m fine. They were a little worried at first. I lost a good amount of blood so..yeah”.

“How is the baby?”

Dinah smiles, shaking her head lightly and laughing as she turns her head to look at Harleen. “Ohh, they’re fine. Perfect in every single way. Vic and I? We make cute babies”.

Harleen picks up on the plural form and smiles wide. “You guys had twins too huh?”

Dinah shakes her head no.

Harleen’s smile falters a bit more in confusion. “Triplets?”

Again Dinah shakes her head. 

  
Harleen felt her pulse quicken now.

“How many?’

Dinah puts up her hand and flashes four fingers, wiggling them in the air. Harleen’s eyes go wide and she reaches out, the bed’s being close enough that she could touch the other woman. “You poor...poor woman”.

Dinah laughs quietly, not wanting to wake up Elise. “Then why do I feel so rich?”

Harleen nods, indeed knowing that feeling. “Samesies. What did you get?”

“Three boys and one little girl. Their names are Charlie, Victor, Bruce and Rosaleen”.

“You named a little boy after Bruce?” Harley asks in shock.

“Uhhmm. After we...found out about what happened to Bruce because of...well, you know, we just...well, we wanted to honor him in some way. And well, seeing as we have three boys? It was even easier”.

“I love you Dinah. Like a little sister” Harleen says, squeezing the woman’s hand. “Right back at you sis”.

The two kept smiling at each other, knowing that their husbands were most likely just watching their babies through the glass in the pediatric ward, having a conversation roughly similar to their own.

Batwoman and Black Canary were happy to be there together.

**_Six Months Later, Atop GCPD_ **

“You can turn that off commissioner”.

The voice came from behind Montoya, and the woman smirks as she turns and switches off the bat signal she had installed, the massive light that illuminates the giant bat signal into the sky dissapering. “What’s the matter? Don’t like it?”

“It is...effective”.

“Had to come up with something you know” the woman says while flicking her cigarette away. She looks around, expecting to see someone or something. “Still no Batwoman huh? Starting to miss her”.

“She’s on an...important assignment” the man in the cape and cowl says. “Your girlfriend might get jealous if she hears you’re trying to look at another woman”.

“Lay off of her Batman” another voice joins in, as Harleen, dressed in her bat suit, jumps out of the darkness and lands on the snow. She smirks while walking up to his side, making sure to sway her hips for both of their amusement. 

“Batwoman...what are you…”.

“My job Batman. Don’t worry” she winks. “Everything with our assignment is taken care of for the night and we’ve got top people working on it until I get back”.

‘Ahh, Alfred and Elise told her to come out here’ he thinks. For the past few months Harley and he had both agreed for her to take a break from the field, though it was clear Harleen didn’t want Bruce going out alone. 

They both knew it would change eventually, but apparently Harleen had moved up the clock.

“What’s the dish commish?” she asks, coming up beside her husband.

  
Renee just regards her with a critical eye in response. “Yeah not my best. I get it”.

Montoya reaches into her coat and retracts a picture, handing it over to the Batman. “Recognize this picture?”

In the photo was a hulking giant wearing what appeared to be a luchador mask. He wasn’t doing anything except for standing beside a crate of weapon and ammo, menacing the photographer. “Ohh he’s a big guy”.

“I don’t. Who is he?”

“Goes by the name Bane. Apparently it was his army you kicked the snot out of a year and a half ago. Word is he’s somewhere in Gotham. That’s not all. He deals in narcotics and weapons. All in all? He’s bad news for Gotham.

“Hmmm”. 

Batman continues to look at the picture, taking in as much as he could about the man from what one glance would provide him. “Want us to take him down huh?”

“It would be much appreciated” Montoya retorts. “But umm...hey. Tatsu...I mean, Katana. She’s been really bugging me, asking me to ask you if you see her as honorable enough to join your little band of vigilantes. She really wants to help Batman”.

The man mulls it over, having put off the issue for so long due to the fact of him being uncomfortable with Katana’s willingness to take life.

“We’ll definitely think about it commish. But we need to confer with the others too. It’s not just us really” Batwoman interjects, being the more accommodating one.

“That’s all she wants. Just a chance”.

“She’ll get it” Bruce says. “I promise”.

He turns to Batwoman and gestures out at the city. “Tonight we have to follow up a lead on the madman who’s been murdering prostitutes in the south side. Apparently he calls himself Professor Pyg. We’re close to nailing him. Are you ready Batwoman?”

The question held more meaning for both of them now that they were so much more than just Harley and Bruce. They were lovers, parents, friends and family members. So much had changed, and their future was much more variable now, but one thing that hadn’t?

As long as they had each other, they were ready to face anything.

“Ready Batman”.

Montoya takes that moment to answer a text, reaching into her pocket for her phone to check on it. “Ohh..umm..I’ll pick up pizza sweetie” she says aloud, writing back in response to Tatsu’s text. “Yes, I’ll remember the pineapple you heathen” she finishes it off, turning her head back up to try and continue the conversation.

“Sorry, home stuff. Anyways, when you get…”.

  
She only then realizes that the roof was empty, devoid of any sign of the bat themed vigilantes who seemed to move like they were made of pure shadow. 

“Dammit. I hate it when they do that. Why do I fall for it every time?”


End file.
